


Cedric Diggory and the Many Horcruxes

by appalyneinstitute1



Series: The Boys Who L’ved Universe [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Cedric Diggory Lives, Deathly Hallows AU, Draco Malfoy Has a Sibling, I’m so glad I finished yall, Multi, Now onto the epilouge, Resurrection, Squibs, The Deathly Hallows, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:48:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 23,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appalyneinstitute1/pseuds/appalyneinstitute1
Summary: After the battle at the Ministry both Harry and Cedric are left with new information that could change the course of their lives, or deaths in Harry’s case.Feeling betrayed by Dumbledore Cedric prepares to meet his end and Voldemort’s along with it. At least he could see Harry again once he died.After realizing that the prophecy was about him and was yet to be fulfilled Harry needs to figure out why since he is most definitely still dead, while Voldemort is alive and wreaking havoc.Will the final battle bring the two together again?Please read the first three parts or you will most certainly be lost.
Relationships: Cedric Diggory/Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory/Harry Potter - Past, Charlie Weasley/Original Male Character(s), Cho Chang/Hermione Granger, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: The Boys Who L’ved Universe [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756294
Comments: 50
Kudos: 28





	1. Plan Time

**Author's Note:**

> The bolder parts are Harry POV in the afterlife, the normal parts are Cedric POV in the living realm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god this took so long to get out and I still hate this chapter!!!
> 
> Hopefully **crosses fingers** the later Chapters will come easier because I have had them pictured in my head since the beginning. (Like before I even wrote ch1 of GoF I had the Battle of Hogwarts planned out)
> 
> Also new thing for this fic, the bold parts are HarryPOV in the afterlife. I just did that because I don’t feel like I’ll ever have a whole chapter of Harry content but I will have more frequent small Harry scenes.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

As the wedding approache d , the Order  grew more and more tense. The wedding was being held at the Burrow simply because it had land and the Order was able to secure it easily. Cedric didn’t mind that. Aside from Death Eaters the wedding could be crashed by a number of other haters, it was a wedding of a guy who was just released from being convicted of multiple murders and a werewolf, not to mention there were certainly homophobes out there who would be willing to crash and disrupt the wedding. 

What Cedric did mind was the new security measures that the Order had implemented on him. He wasn’t allowed to leave the apartment, except by apparition, and he had to make a pit stop at Order headquarters before he went anywhere. Sirius had done a new fidelius on the house, naming himself the secret keeper. The apartment was also under a lot of wards that Cedric himself had done, along with a few done by the Order, but half of them were just what any wizard would put on a muggle apartment they were staying in. The only truly odd one was the fidelius, Lars was the secret keeper for that one. 

Cedric knew that being ‘the new boy-who-lived’ put a target on his back. Technically the papers that pushed this title weren’t wrong either. Cedric  had survived the killing curse, and now he knew that he was the chosen one in some way or another, probably because he was now the vessel for an extra one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. 

** As Harry looked down at the living world through the hallway mirror, he pondered the Prophecy. His parents had told him about it soon after he had arrived, but he figured that it was Neville’s problem now. How wrong he was. **

** He had figured out it was still referring to him, somehow. He felt a sort of tug when Cedric had gone to pick up the prophecy the night Dumbledore died. Apparently the part of his soul within Cedric had allowed his love to pick up the sphere, that was probably coupled with the bit of Voldemort’s soul within Cedric but Harry didn’t want to think about that.  **

** Harry still didn’t know how he could still be the child of the prophecy though. He was dead, Voldemort was alive. If the prophecy had been fulfilled with his death, which it could have been, the wording was vague enough, it would have taken on a different color, turning more blue like the other fulfilled prophecies. This one was still white when it was smashed.  **

** Harry had taken to checking in on Cedric once a day if he didn’t see inside Cedric’s mind from the dream world. It was especially helpful because Harry could tell that the upcoming anniversary of his death in the living world was affecting Cedric.  **

** The more he thought about it the more it seemed like he should ask Inquiry about the prophecy. He hadn’t been to see them in months, but he had to know why the prophecy still thought him capable of fulfilling it.  **

A few days after the invitation arrived Cedric apparated with Draco to Grimmuald place. The two headed up to the teen room and found the others waiting there for them. Today they were discussing potential options for the coming year. 

“The game pla n  is to hunt down the horcruxes.” Cedric began, he had laid out the locket and the note signed R.A.B. on the table, along with scraps of paper for the potential other horcruxes, not including himself. He still didn’t know how to tell anyone, he just simply redoubled his occlumency efforts so Voldemort couldn’t see into his mind, “But we need to decide who is going to help. Mark and I are doing it regardless, we’ve graduated and don’t have any ties for this year. If Voldemort takes over the Ministry and Hogwarts then Hermione will join us as she will not be allowed to return to school anyway. If no t , she will go back to Hogwarts.”

Hermione nodded and squeezed Cho’s hand. The two were curled up on the floor next to the coffee table. 

“The rest of you will return to school.”

Ron frowned, “You guys go on the cool adventure while we’re stuck in school?”

“I wasn’t finished, Ron, Cho, and Nevill e , if you two can convince hi m , will continue to run the H.A. and get the students prepared for whatever may come. If you can, search the school for one of these items.” He pointed to the pieces of paper, “If Voldemort thought of Hogwarts as a home, he might have hidden his soul there.”

Cho nodded.

“If you guys need an out we’ll figure out a way for you to join us in hiding. Draco will be a spy on the inside. He can get into Voldemort’s inner circle and be able to help gather information on the Death Eaters.”

Draco sighed. Cedric knew that Draco didn’t love that plan, but was willing to work with it if it meant getting Voldemort out of his house.

“Do we know where any of the horcruxes are?” Asked Hermione.

“Not really,” Cedric began when the door opened. Sirius stepped into the room.

“Sorry I had to get away from Molly for a moment, she’s been on my tail about small details all day, and though I definitely care more about those than Remus, I can only handle so much wedding planning at a time. What’re you guys talking about?”

“We’re working on a way to take down Voldemort that Dumbledore thought would work.” Cho answered.

Sirius leaned in to look at the locket, “Wait a minute that was my brother’s and that’s his handwriting.”

“Are you sure?” Cedric asked, they might just have a lead on R.A.B.

“Yeah, Regulus always liked to sign things with his initials, felt his name was too long.”

Before Cedric could think to respond Hermione had piped up with a question, “Have you seen a gold locket around in the midst of cleaning this place? One that exuded dark energy?”

“I think so. I’m pretty sure Kreacher stole though.”

“This is why you have to be nice to house elves!” Hermione groaned.

After a few more minutes of small talk with Siriu s , who then went down to face more wedding planning, they were finally able to talk game plan.

“We can check on the locket tomorrow,” Cedric said, “Right now I think we all need some sleep, and then we can figure out how to get it from Kreacher. There’s no point in getting it immediately if we don’t know if we can destroy it.”

The group nodded in understanding. Cedric and Draco apparated back to their apartment Draco passed out right away, but Cedric went to work on the birthday surprise he was making from the hall closet for Draco. He could use an undetectable extension charm and a few others to craft Draco his own room so he wouldn’t spend all summer sleeping on the couch. 

He finished that night, just in time for Draco’s birthday the next day. As he settled into bed Cedric tried to fight his brain from mentally counting the days until another, sadder anniversary in only a few weeks. soon it would be a year since Harry had died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave comments and kudos!! They feed my writing soul!!!


	2. One Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! 
> 
> I think that with this chapter I have passed the point where I will struggle as much as I have (Hooray!) especially since we have the wedding next chapter!!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Even though her opinions are shit (If you agree with them please stop reading) JK still owns Harry Potter.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

Draco’s birthday came and went. The three had a small private party in the apartment. Lars had gone and gotten Draco a book he had been interested in, and Cedric had shown him the room he had prepared in blues and greens and grays. Draco locked himself into it for most of the evening to read his book in his new bed. 

After that day Cedric seemed to get more and more depressed as the days drew nearer to the anniversary of the third task. The twenty fourth came at last and Cedric spent the day curled in bed. He wasn’t allowed to go to Godric’s Hollow to visit Harry’s grave. “It isn’t secure. You-know-who will be expecting you there.” Moody had told him. 

Sirius and Remus had gotten to go though. They didn’t even run into any trouble. They had said as much when they came by to visit. Draco, thankfully had been smart enough to stay away from Cedric that day. Draco and Harry had never had a good relationship, so having Draco around would not have helped Cedric much. Lars only checked in to make sure his cousin was still alive. 

Cedric was thankful for that. Tonks stopped by as well, she left a small care package for Cedric. He almost smiled at the contents. They were the contents of a Hufflepuff grade emotional wellness kit. A sunlight charmed orb bring back some light, chocolate, a special plant that looked like it was smiling and swayed back and forth, and a note, written to remind the recipient of something good in life. Cedric did not fail to notice the way Tonks had looked at Lars, but his brain was too depressed to bring it up. 

A piece written by Hermione, leave it to her to be a teenaged published writer, appeared in  The Daily Prophet that evening. It was a simple collection of stories about Harry, but it was filled with love. 

That night he couldn’t get Harry’s face out of his dreams.

** Harry woke up on his death day, his ‘true death day’ people had called it. The one that lined up with the date in the living world. There was a party, just like the last two years. Except this time Harry was distracted.  **

** He spent most of his day, not at the party goofing off with Oliver and Bex, who had remained good friends even though he was teaching them at Hades now, but instead looking down on the living from the hallway mirror.  **

** Sirius and Remus visited his grave. They left an arrangement of wildflowers by his headstone, daisies by his mother’s, and lilies by his father’s. He was glad that the two were getting married. His dad had found out one night when he looked down on them in the middle of their wedding planning, both looking to be at their wits end with Mrs. Weasley.  **

** Harry then looked to Hermione who was clipping something out of the  Prophet. The byline had her name, and was paired with a picture of himself. He figured she had written an article about him in honor of the day, he smiled, even her methods of grieving involved academic work. Cho sat next to her and folded Hermione into a hug, kissing the top of her brown hair. **

** The entire Weasley family was holed up in the Burrow. Ginny looked to be trying not to cry, as was Ron, but he was concealing it worse than his sister. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were a mess. The other Weasley brothers displayed an array of emotions.  **

** Harry finally looked down at Cedric’s apartment. His roommate, Lawrence, Harry thought, periodically checked on Cedric, one time bringing a basket left by an auror Harry didn’t recognize.Harry noticed the paintings in Cedric’s room. One a more dark toned picture of Hedwig and Chatter, Cedric’s owl. Though Hedwig had been painted with green eyes not yellow. The other an immaculate light toned portrait of an image that Harry recognized from the edition of the  Prophet that had outed his and Cedric’s relationship.  **

** Harry also noticed Malfoy in the apartment. He knew that Malfoy had been staying there of course, but seeing him in his own bedroom brought another level of new to the experience. His rival and ex-boyfriend in the same apartment, who would’ve thought? Malfoy did seem to have some grief, be it less severe than all the others, which made Harry mentally forgive Malfoy for all the crap he had done to Harry. **

Cedric’s wand alarm went off the next day. Lars forced him out for a walk, under the invisibility cloak of course, which still had not been returned to Remus and Sirius because it was extremely useful in keeping Cedric away from the public eye and most importantly out of harm’s way. He still thought it to be too much, he was in the Muggle world for Merlin’s sake!

At least Cedric only had a few more weeks until he officially went into hiding. He planned to disappear about a week after the wedding, sooner if the Death Eaters took over the ministry before then, though Cedric chose not to think about what would happen in that circumstance. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to visit my Tumblr @/appalyneintstitute1 for all kinds of crazy!!
> 
> Leave comments and kudos to feed my soul por favor!


	3. Wedding Day Gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s another chapter. The scene with Dumbledore’s will in here, probably should have been in the first chapter or something but I forgot so I kinda squeezed it in in a hurry.
> 
> Whatever, remember that I’m on Tumblr @/ appalyneinstitute1  
> My requests for drabbles are open there if you would like to make them
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

The week of the wedding rolled around and there was nothing on the Death Eater front. It made Cedric nervous. They had been silent since May. No attempted breakouts of Azkaban. A few small attacks on muggle communities, but not more then there had been in the past year. No sightings of the ones that got away the night Dumbledore died. Nothing. Not even any suspicious people lurking outside his apartment.

What the hell was Voldemort doing?

Of course he knew that if he really wanted to he could lower his occlumency shields and find out. But that would risk Voldemort finding out that Cedric was a horcrux. That wasn’t gonna help, sure Voldemort would stop wanting to kill him, but would create a whole new set of dangers that Cedric didn’t want to deal with. 

Cedric pushed it out of his head and focused his energy on packing his bags. He left most of his stuff, and other evidence of his presence in his school trunk. He had to place an undectable extension charm on it to fit everything. He then locked it in the closet. 

The small portion of stuff that he would bring into hiding went into the backpack he had used for school. He placed a charm that responded to his and Mark’s magic on the zippers so that his stuff would not be stolen. Having Mark’s magic signature on the bag was just a precaution. 

The stuff he was taking consisted of, the invisibility cloak, a bunch of potions he had prepared in large batches and sealed magically so the vials wouldn’t spill or break in his bag, the prophet clipping of the photo of him and Harry, some muggle food that could be easily duplicated and heated, muggle money, he had taken roughly half his vault and put it in the muggle banks last year to pay his half of the rent, his bathroom bag from Hogwarts, and a shrunken set of pillows and blankets. 

Mark was prepared to dissapear as well. He was currently sitting in the living room talking with Charlie, who had come into town to help with the wedding and apparently be the Order’s guard on Cedric for the day. The guards were suggested by Moody about a week and a half prior and Cedric hated being watched. He was a full grown wizard, a star student graduated from Hogwarts! He didn’t need anyone babysitting him, nor protecting him. 

Cedric did a spell that made his bedroom look like the linen closet he had turned into Draco’s room and then headed into the room where Charlie and Mark were sitting close and staring at each other, seemingly about to kiss. 

Cedric backed away so as to let them have whatever moment they wished to have. He counted to twenty in the hall then walked in and cleared his throat. The moment seemed to have passed for the other two.

“You ready to go?” Charlie asked, standing up. 

Cedric nodded. 

“I’ll go get Lars and Draco.” Charlie walked away awkwardly.

“What happened there?” Cedric asked his friend.

“Oh, er, how much did you see?” Mark stuttered and blushed redder than a muggle fire truck. 

“Just you two staring at each other all doe eyed. I stepped away for a minute after that.”

“It was just a kiss,” Mark blushed even more, “He and I wrote each other a lot last year. I thought I might want to be a dragon tamer after seeing those dragons in the tournament. I still want to be in a band, but I do need something to what do the Muggles say? Pay the bills. Well, then we started talking about music and life and one thing led to another. Now we’re here. I’m not sure what we are though.”

“That’s fine. I’m glad.” Cedric really was, his friend had found someone.

Mark smiled. 

Lars and Draco emerged with overnight bags, they would be staying at Grimmuald the night after the wedding, as a precaution, in case something went wrong with Mark and Cedric disappearing. Also so no one was apparating them home while they were drunk.

The five left the apartment and landed at Grimmauld. They changed into their dress robes there, or in Lars’ case a Muggle suit. 

Kingsley Shacklebolt was there waiting for them. “I need to speak with you.” He motioned to Cedric. 

He was brought into the study where Cho, Hermione, and Ron were waiting. 

“The ministry has finally processed Dumbledore’s will and he has left things to all four of you.”

“They  just processed it?” Hermione asked.

“They usually do so for people like Dumbledore who have their own agendas that could harm the people at the ministry or be harmful to the recipients. Dumbledore was over a hundred years old and was associated with Grindewald for a time. They just want to be careful.”

Hermione nodded. 

“Well onto the will. Dumbledore left Mr. Weasley the sword of Gryffindor, which we can’t actually provide since it chooses its user much like a wand. Mr. Diggory was left a snitch from his last quidditch match, he also wanted to remind you of the flesh memory of a snitch. Miss Chang was left this, whatever it is, he referred to it as a deluminator saying it will return you to those who need you.” He passed over something that looked like a Muggle lighter “I don’t really know, and I’m not sure I want to. And finally he left this book to Miss Granger.”

Cedric held the snitch in his left hand and looked at Hermione’s book “ Tales of Beedle the Bard ? Why would he give you a book of children’s tales? And in runic no less?” Cedric asked.

Hermione shrugged, but smiled, a new book was a new book. 

“That’s it, I guess. Have fun at the wedding. Wish I could come but I am wanted at the ministry.”

Kingsley waved then disapparated. 

Before they could wonder more about the cryptic gift they then had to receive their disguises. Cedric tucked the snitch away in his bag in a small pocket. Lars was fine, his hair was darker than Draco’s and no one would really know his face. Draco had his features transfigured and his hair turned Black in order to appear as a distant disowned member of the Black family that Sirius had invited. Draco also took on the name Scorpius for the occasion. 

Cedric was getting a polyjuice transformation. He would be posing as ‘Scorpius’s’ boyfriend and fellow Beauxbatons student, Leo Ouimet. The polyjuice was made from hair that Lars had somehow (Cedric was not going to ask) got from one of his art students.

His hair grew longer and slightly darker, his eyes turned from blue to brown, and he grew a few inches taller. Tonks appeared from the next room and helped Cedric fix it into a neat bun and helped him adjust his robes. 

At last it was time to go to the wedding. They apparated out of the townhouse and into the yard just beyond the burrow. 

Cedric held out his arm for his cousin to take.This would be an awkward day, but at least he was safe to enjoy it. Though he hated the security he couldn’t deny that this event could be dangerous. 

The wedding was mostly a small affair, consisting of mostly people in the Order or closely connected to it. And all the extra plus ones some of them had brought. Bill had brought Fluer, Neville and his grandmother had brought both Lovegoods, and all of the currently married Order members had also brought their spouses. The entire Hogwarts staff minus Snape had come, though was Snape even on the Hogwarts staff anymore? Of course their significant others and spouses came as well. 

At the reception Cedric appeared to be staring into the distance pondering the mysteries of life. In reality he had just truly realized how close to home he was. His house was less than ten miles east of the Burrow and he wasn’t even stopping to say hi to his father. Granted he was not on the best terms with his father. But he also hadn’t even seen the house since just under two years ago. 

“Leo, dearest, I would like to dance.” Draco said from his seat by Cedric’s side. 

Cedric took a small swig from the Muggle water bottle he carried that contained polyjuice to keep his disguise up, “Let’s go.”

“Just warning you I haven’t danced since the Yule ball and even then I couldn’t stop stepping on Cho’s feet.” Cedric warned Draco.

“I haven’t either, but thanks for the warning.” 

They were roughly halfway through the song by the time a patronus appeared interrupting the wedding.

Out of its mouth came Kingsley’s voice, “They took over the Ministry! Fudge’s dead! They’re coming your way!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to feed my soul with comments and kudos! I’m going hungry here!


	4. Into Hiding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter started out really strong and then devolved into a mess (did I mention that I HATE Deathly Hallows?). I think the next chapter will be answering a lot of things and giving people info to move forward with the plot. Also I may or may not be using Harry as a totally easy way to show things that happen in life that Ced doesn’t know 😂.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

** Harry and his parents watched the wedding from their hallway mirror. It was rather sweet, the two had chosen to do arrangements of wildflowers as a pop of color against the other white decorations. Small glittering lights glowed against the tent ceiling making the night brighter and giving it that romantic magical feel. There was a Muggle disco ball hanging over the dance floor that made Harry smile.  **

** Remus and Sirius looked overjoyed a s they shared their first dance. Harry was pretty sure his dad was crying  from his spot looking over Harry’s shoulder. Not that James was much taller than Harry now.  **

** Harry looked for his friends and saw Hermione, Ron, Mark, and Cho sitting at a table together with two other dark haired teens. Harry, however, did not see Cedric, or Malfoy for that matter. Their roommate was dancing with Tonks, so where were they? **

** Just as the two strangers from the table had gotten up to dance, the party descended into chaos. A patronus had shown up and everyone at the party scattered using the table vases as portkey or dissapparating with loud cracks. Harry saw Ron, Ginny, Cho, Lawrence, and one of the strangers from the table dissapear with one of the vases. Hermione, Mark and the other stranger grabbed hold of each other and their bags, which had been stored under the table, and dissaparated together. Remus and Sirius stayed, fending off death eaters with the rest of the Weasleys, and various people his parents had told him were members of Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix. **

** Harry stepped away from the chaos, knowing that it would be pointless to try to watch it. He couldn’t help from here, Voldemort wasn’t his battle anymore, regardless of what that damn prophecy thought. **

Cedric grabbed Mark and Hermione who were holding their bags and ready to go and dissapparated them to a small half magic half Muggle costal town where he would go on vacation with his and Mark’s families when they were little. 

“Where are we?” Hermione asked still trying to regain her balance. 

“Seaglass cove.” Mark answered looking around in awe. 

Cedric smiled. They ducked into an alley and changed quickly. 

“We’ll wait out here then head to Grimmuald in a few hours. I figured this town gets a lot of apparition traffic this time of year so we should be safe.” They had decided to start their hiding in Grimmuald until they had figured out a way around the underage magic trace on Hermione.

“I know we’re in a crisis and all, but we have to kill time, so do you think we could go to Andy’s Ice Cream?” Mark asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Of course. You haven’t lived until you’ve had this ice cream ‘Mione.” Cedric smiled and took another swig of Polyjuice. There were Muggles around, he couldn’t just let himself change back in front of them. 

The three headed to the ice cream shop where Hermione payed with Muggle money from her beaded purse, not before Cedric discreetly duplicated it, and they set out to find a secluded spot on the beach to plan. 

“So Voldemort has taken over the Ministry?” Hermione asked.

“Or put in a puppet that will support him, likely someone imperioused by a death eater.” Mark said. 

“So that means I’m sticking with you guys and we now have to figure out how to get around the trace.”

“My Aunt Lexa works in the Underage Magic Office. I know that place like the back of my hand. I’d stay with her when my parents had long shifts at St. Mungos.” Mark offered. 

“Okay, and when we get back to Grimmuald we  have  to approach Kreacher about that locket. Either you or me will be the best at getting through to Kreacher with that.”

Hermione nodded, her mouth full of ice cream.

They heard a few cracks on the beach seconds later but did not think much of it until Mark noticed the black robed figures roaming the crowds. 

“We’ve gotta go.” Cedric said. Mark took him and Hermione by the hand and spun them away. 

They did quick stops at different places and then landed at Grimmuald. 

“How did they find us?” Hermione asked at last.

“Don’t know. Creating a magic specific trace takes weeks, and it had only been hours. They could have put a taboo on you-know-who’s name though.” Mark suggested. 

“That makes sense. The only people known for saying it were his largest threats, Harry, Dumbledore, now you. Plus I think we got most of the H.A. saying it, at least in private last year. Some of the Order members too.” Hermione reasoned.

“I hear someone.” Mark said. 

The three dashed upstairs. They knew that many Order members and such would be coming in and out, but they decided to only let Sirius and Remus know they were using the house for the time being, just to be safe. Though Cedric figured that at the very least Moody might figure out that they were there. 

They dashed to the creepy master bedroom, where they would stay until they figured out how to remove the trace on Hermione. 

They heard shuffling in the hall, people arriving and going to sleep for the night. The burrow must have been damaged or compromised or something because it sounded like more people were there than originally planned. Draco, Lars, and it sounded like a few of the Weasley brothers went to one room next door. Ginny, Cho, and Tonks went across the hall. Bill and Fleur took a room near the stairs. It sounded as if a handful of Order members took to the teen room for a while, whether to discuss or maybe spend the night. No sign of Sirius or Remus, but that was because the two were taking a long weekend away as a honeymoon. Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out three Muggle camping sleeping bags. None of them were brave enough to touch the master bed. 

Mark cast cushioning charms on the floor and the three arranged themselves in a circle. “We’ll ask Kreacher about the locket tomorrow, after everyone leaves. Then we’ll start on the plan to get into the Ministry.” Cedric said into the darkness.

“And then we’ll be one step closer to beating him.” Hermione said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay just for the record, because I want to make it clear, even though a lot of this has no direct impact on the story:  
> Cedric is gay  
> Harry is Bi  
> Draco is gay (Not that he has a love interest, this is just how I always write him)  
> Cho is a lesbian  
> Hermione is a demisexual biromantic  
> Thank you for your time.


	5. The one where we learn more about the MacGuffins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes the chapter title, I wasn’t feeling particularly creative.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

They had to wait until everyone left the next morning before they could talk to Kreacher. So the three ended up discussing Dumbledore’s will. Cedric had retrieved the snitch from his bag.

“Why did the snitch not respond to your touch? It seemed implied that it would do something because of it’s flesh memory.” Hermione asked.

“You guys seem to forget that I’m left handed. I grabbed it with my right just in case that day.” Cedric responded, he then tossed the snitch into the air and caught it in his left hand. 

He looked down at the words inscribed on the snitch that had just appeared. 

_ I open at the close. _

Cedric knew what those words meant.

“What does it mean?” Hermione asked after seeing the phrase.

“I- I’m not sure really.” Cedric lied.

Hermione side eyed him, but said nothing. 

“So anyway what are these children’s tales?” She asked picking up the book she had received.

“Every child that grows up in the Wizarding world knows them. But I think what Dumbledore wants you to find probably has to do with this copy specifically, or he would have just left you a generic English copy, not a runic one. Or he could have figured we would know the stories already.” Mark said looking over her shoulder. 

“What was with that thing that Cho got?” Cedric asked, “Did she say anything about it?”

“No.” Hermione scowled. 

** Up in the afterlife however, Harry did know.  **

** He had been curious because he had seen it in Dumbledore’s office and wanted to know what it did. So he went to the hall mirror and looked to Cho when she was testing it out.  **

** It mostly just clicked lights on and off. That was disappointing.  **

** Harry hadn’t encountered Dumbledore in the afterlife yet. He was pretty sure he would at some point soon, but he was most definitely not seeking him out.  **

** That was going to be an interesting encounter. Harry was still pissed at Dumbledore for not telling Cedric, or himself for that matter, that he had to die.  **

** Harry then went to look at what Cedric and Hermione had thought of their gifts from Dumbledore. **

** The phrase on the snitch was obviously meant to be a cryptic way of saying it was a gift for Cedric when he was about to die. That just served to make Harry angrier. He still didn’t tell Cedric, Harry did know that Cedric knew that he had to die. But it really should have not been left for Cedric to figure out himself.  **

** Harry breathed and then noticed the book Hermione had, children’s tales. Yet another thing he had missed out on in his childhood. Not just the magical ones, the Muggle ones too. It seemed that a lot of Wizarding children knew these tales. Maybe Harry could ask his Dad about them.  **

** That seemed a bit odd given that he was seventeen, but it just seemed nice enough to be worth an ask.  **

At last everyone else had left Grimmuald place. Since they were under the impression no one was staying there anymore, it would be empty until Sirius and Remus returned that Monday night. 

The three went downstairs and Cedric called Kreacher. 

“What does the blood traitor want?” 

“I would like to know the story behind this locket, if you would be so kind.” Cedric held up the fake locket. 

“Master Regulus left it for the Dark Lord to find.”

“What did he do with the locket he took?”

Kreacher scowled, his avoidance of the first question didn’t work, “He gave it to Kreacher to destroy. Kreacher tried many many times, but he was unable to complete Master’s wishes.”

“Where did you put it?” Cedric asked, “We have a way to destroy it if you tell us.”

“Kreacher rescued it when the mudbloods and blood traitors were throwing out all of Mistress’s possessions. But it was taken by the Dung a few days later. Kreacher is not sure where the Dung has put it.”

“Thank you Kreacher.” Hermione said, and the elf apparated away. 

“Well, now we need to find Mundungus, that is who he meant right?” Mark asked. 

Cedric nodded, “We’ll have to get Sirius and Remus to do it when they get back. For now, let’s go make some breakfast and we can start trying to figure out how to get into the Ministry undetected.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos to feed my soul!! (Otherwise I might send Kreacher to insult you! /s.)


	6. The Deathly Hallows

** Harry sat with his dad on the couch in the living room listening to his dad read the final tale in  _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_.  This one was called ‘The Three Brothers’ and it was actually quite interesting.  **

** Harry knew he was probably too old to be read stories like this, he had a job and was taking classes that were at the level of a Muggle University for goodness sake, but he didn’t care.  **

** The story ended with the third brother passing down his cloak to his eldest son. James closed the book and turned to Harry.  **

** “You know, some people think that the items are real, they call them the Deathly Hallows.” James said. **

** “Really?” **

** James nodded, “I actually know they are real.” **

** “How?”  **

** “Well for one, we could just look it up or ask Inquiry, on this side of life we have all of life’s answers at our fingertips. But, I know because of my father. He was told this story by his father, who was told by his mother, and she was told by her father and so on. The story was always retold when the invisibility cloak was passed down, you know, the one that makes it easy to be out of bed after hours at Hogwarts.” **

** “So, wait, that was the invisibility cloak from the story, the one the third brother used to evade death?” **

** “Yup, the third brother was our ancestor, Ignotus Peverell.” **

** “Cool. Are the other ones real then too?” **

** “I think so. I believe that after the death of his brother Ignotus fashioned the stone into a ring and gave it to his younger son, I’ve no idea where it is now.” **

** “And the wand?”  **

** “Well nearly every dark wizard, and some light wizards, of note have been known to be in possession of a wand that they claimed to be more powerful than any other. The depictions of each wand have all looked very similar. So it may still be around.” **

** Harry nodded, this was actually quite interesting. He could use a new research project.  **

When Sirius and Remus returned Monday morning, Cedric asked them to ask Mundungus about the locket, he had not said why they needed it other than it was important. By Monday afternoon Sirius had hunted down Mundungus and interrogated him about the locket. Apparently he had sold it to a woman who worked at the Ministry and wore pink robes and looked like a toad. Cedric wanted to scream, of course Umbitch had the locket. 

Tuesday’s  Daily Prophet  announced that Snape would be taking over as headmaster at Hogwarts and that Muggleborns would not be allowed to attend. Wednesday there was an article about a proposed mandatory Muggleborn registry. That was implemented a week later. The day after that Diagon Alley was raided, Ollivander and a couple other shop owners went missing.

Despite the overwhelming news and the Death Eaters pushing their agenda more and more, Cedric, Mark, and Hermione spent the next few weeks working on a plan to get into the Ministry.

They used the invisibility cloak to stakeout the ministry entrances, apparation into the Ministy had been banned the night the Death Eaters took over. They picked out employees, and backups in case their first choices were absent, to polyjuice into when they infiltrated. They chose people who looked similar enough to themselves, so if the potion wore off it wouldn’t be too noticeable at first. 

They laid out their plan and were ready to put it into action September 1, people would be worried about leaks of the Statue of Secrecy at King’s Cross, so there would be an underlying distraction already there. 

They fell asleep that night ready to go early the next morning. 

** Harry was sitting in the library reading up on the Deathly Hallows. He was using a device similar to Inquiry’s but this one was meant for research, not just fast answers, something for people who wanted to learn something themselves.  **

** Harry flipped through pages about the Elder Wand, it had taken him a while to find something on it that was recent because it had been called so many different things throughout the years. Most recently the Deathstick, when it was wielded by Grindelwald in the forties.  **

** Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald, meaning that he would probably know what had happened to the wand. Harry still didn’t want to talk to the former Headmaster so he left it alone to start looking at what the Hallows could do together.  **

** After days of research Harry found something. Something that could change everything.  **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shortness of this chapter but the cliffhanger was just too good! Also was busy with family stuff this week and I have a job now so I’m trying for one update a week. 
> 
> Please leave comments to feed my soul!!
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie


	7. The Ministry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updating. After the next chapter I will likely do a time skip because I am not about to write chapters of nothing happening.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

The morning of September 1 dawned bright and early for the trio. They quickly got ready to go, packing clothes that would at least look similar to clothes the people they planned on impersonating wore. They thanked Sirius and Remus, if all went well they would not be returning, and apparated across London.

They stood outside of a Muggle Cafe near the entrance that the all employees of the Ministry used now that apparating and the floo network were banned as ways of entrance. It was a bit odd that they were not banned for exit, except on the Auror floor, but that was a rule when the Ministry was functioning normally, not just a puppet for Voldemort.

Cedric looked over at Mark who was making his way towards a couple that worked in the Ministry. Once they entered the alleyway to the theater where the Ministry entrance was Mark confunded them, making them believe that they did not need to go into work. He also used the summoning charm to summon a hair from each of their heads. Cedric held his arm out for Hermione and led her into the cafe, she ordered two teas and they sat down, waiting for Mark to get the last person.

That last person being Cedric’s father. They decided that it would be easiest for Cedric to step into his father’s shoes because he knew him best and looked enough like him to buy time as the polyjuice wore off.

It was about ten minutes later that Amos walked by. Cedric looked away as Amos was confunded and had a hair stolen, his father then apparated home straight from the alleyway with an audible crack.

Mark came in and sat with Cedric and Hermione, munching away on a croissant he had ordered.They made pleasant conversation as Mark discreetly added the hairs to three doses of potion under the table. He passed one vial to Cedric, making sure no one saw, and Cedric got up and headed to the bathroom.

He downed the potion and quickly changed. By the time he stepped out, he looked like his father, that was rather strange. He left the cafe swiftly and made to enter the Ministry.

He entered the theater and went for the bathrooms which each had a line of Ministry workers. Mark came up behind him a few moments later, disguised as the man from the young couple, Toby Foster. Cedric glanced over and saw Hermione get into the women’s line, disguised as Rose Foster.

When it was his turn he went to the toilet and flushed himself into the Ministry.

Once inside they all went their separate ways, Mark went to see what he could do about the trace on underage magic, Hermione went off to see if she could find Umbridge on the floor where Rose worked, and Cedric did the same for Amos. If their results on their respective floors were unsuccessful there was a contingency plan in place.

Cedric stepped into the elevator alongside none other than Arthur Weasley.

As they descended the air became uncomfortably silent, then Arthur spoke.

“I know you want to ask if I’ve heard from Cedric since we last spoke, but I haven’t. He disappeared with two of his friends as planned, but Ron didn’t go with them. He’s back at Hogwarts now, and I hear that it is quite terrible there...”

As Arthur continued Cedric stopped listening. He was glad that Arthur had let his father in a little. But what was shocking was that it seemed that his father had sought out Arthur to get information about Cedric.

That warmed something in Cedric’s chest, just a bit.

The elevator stopped at his floor and Cedric got off giving a small nod to Arthur.

He first stopped at his father’s office. He picked up a blank scroll and shrunk his bag, which had been transfigured into a briefcase, and then headed off. He made his father’s usual rounds of the floor, checking in on people that he knew. No sign of the pink bitch anywhere.

He went back to the office and used the wax from the special perpetual burn candle he had gotten his father a few years back, to seal the scroll with his father’s ministry seal. Scroll in hand, he made his way back to the elevator, and pressed the button for Umbitch’s floor.

He headed into her office under the guise of dropping off the scroll for something, and wanting to talk to her about it. He was stopped by one of the people making pamphlets nearby and asked about it. Apparently being married to a now convicted Death Eater made people give Amos a fearful respect. Cedric hated that he was exploiting it.

The office yielded no results. Except apparently now he was considered Undesirable No. 1 and Hermione and Mark 2 and 3 respectively. There was also a lot of propaganda, including the pamphlets being made by workers outside.

A patronus from Hermione arrived, “Apparently Rose is interning for Umbridge, there’s a lot of dementors down here so my patronus went unnoticed. She’s wearing the locket, I’ve transfigured the Regulus one into a duplicate. Now I just need a distraction from a member of the Wizengamot.” The otter winked and dissolved.

Moody had taught Cedric the talking trick during an order meeting earlier this summer, in case of emergency, and Cedric had taught it to the others. It was a plan for meeting up with Ron and Cho should they leave Hogwarts. Though it wasn’t super secure, patronuses being easily identified and tracked and all, so they didn’t really want to use it for that.

Cedric made his way to the elevator and pressed the button for the lowest floor.

He arrived in the Wizengamot portion of the courtroom which was buzzing with people. Dementors lined the area where he had sat the previous year. A dome against magic that could only be undone from the outside sat over the area as well. Patronuses flitted about, add that to the minimal protection of the dome, which probably also had some of the wards that had been derived from the patronus charm, the depressing atmosphere almost bearable.

He went over to where his father’s usual seat was and sat down. A few moments later Umbitch called the court into session. A witch came and sat down on the bench next to him. He glanced over and tried not to flinch. It was his mother, out of Azkaban and sitting next to him.

“Hello dear, I’m glad you made it. I know you’re still iffy on the mudbloods thing, but being here is a great step in seeing what frauds they are.” Celeana whispered, “I know you worry about the fact that our _son_ has sided with them. So, if you come around to this I will try to talk the Dark Lord into showing mercy.” The word son was filled with disgust and almost hate.

Cedric just nodded, as he had seem his father do many times, fighting the urge to hex his mother. He reached a hand into his pocket and snagged one of the products Fred and George had made for their Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes shop, Mark had brought a bunch along.

He focused all his energy on where he wanted it to go while he held it. He wound it up for how long until it would go off and Hermione could use a switching spell during the chaos.

He set it on the floor under the guise of adjusting his sock as the first innocent Muggleborn was brought in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I didn’t forget about the Harry cliffhanger from last time....
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos to feed my soul!!


	8. Cutting out 90% of the Camping in Deathly Hallows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day! Hooray!
> 
> Also I renamed the series to “The Boy’s Who L’ved Universe.” The L’ved is a reference to the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone” (It’s really funny go check it out!) the line that kind of is meant To be the lesson, but also not because it’s really a comedy is “L’ve while you can.” A cane is dropped in the middle of the word so the audience (and narrator who is beyond the fourth wall) can’t tell what the word is supposed to be, love or live.
> 
> I thought the sentiment was fitting for these two. They love each other and are willing to die for that love, but both are also know as the boy who lived because they survived the killing curse (Harry more than Ced but whatever). 
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

Cedric looked down and saw the person that had been brought in. It was Toby Foster, or rather, Mark. He hadn’t realized that this was Toby’s trial for the ‘crime’ of being a Muggleborn. Mark had no defense against the Dementors and Cedric had no way to help until the distraction went off. He could only watch as Umbitch laid into his friend with questions about how he ‘stole’ his magic.

“I can’t believe the Minister let him work here until yesterday.” Celeana whispered, apparently to him. “The act against mudbloods working here should pass tomorrow.”

“What happened to them after trial?” He whispered back.

“They go to Azkaban. Eventually the Dark Lord will wipe them all out, but we need some collateral for the time being.”

“Oh.”

Cedric breathed and counted the seconds.

He had gotten to one hundred seven when the fake explosion sounds filled the room. He glanced at Hermione who was performing the switching charm as the courtroom dissolved into chaos.

Once he saw the switch occur, he worked on casting the simple charms to take the wards keeping Mark trapped down, thankfully his mother was nowhere in sight, likely off investigating the fake explosion with her death eater friends.

The downside of taking the wards down was releasing the dementors. Cedric pushed aside the images of Harry dying, of his mother fighting him, and one he didn’t recognize, it had a woman pleading and screaming as the light of a killing curse flashed. Whoever was left in the room cast their patronus, Cedric couldn’t do his, it was too identifiable with the stag imprinted on its side. He ran around to Hermione and they jumped the barrier down to where Mark was still chained to the chair.

Hermione released him by using a finite incantatem on the chains. Cedric took them both by the hand and apparated them out of the Ministry, then another two times in quick succession.

They landed in the forest somewhere, all Cedric knew was that they were miles from even a glimmer of society. They had enough food packed for about a month, then they would have to start camping closer to Muggles.

“Did you remove the trace?” Hermione asked.

Mark nodded still a little shaken from being around the dementors.

Hermione went to work casting wards and things. Cedric could have done it, perhaps better because he was older and that was his area of study, but he was still struggling to grasp the memories that played in the back of his mind from the dementors. What was that memory of the woman screaming, that certainly wasn’t his. Maybe it was from Voldemort’s worst memory, a product of the horcrux within him. That would probably mean it was from when he died the first time, the woman being Harry’s mother.

But that didn’t add up, whenever he felt something from Voldemort’s horcrux it caused pain in the scar on his shoulder.

Hermione had finished the wards and opened a bar of chocolate, she split it into thirds and gave one to Cedric and Mark each. She split her piece in half and only ate one.

“Save some for an emergency.” She muttered.

The three then set up the tent, taken from Mark’s family’s camping supplies. It was extremely spacious on the inside, letting them each have their own small room, with one to spare, and there were two bathrooms and a living area. There was a fireplace within the tent that had a smoke vanisher and charms to contain the fire, along with a sink that could be used by placing a wand mid aguamenti cast in its stand.

Hermione handed over the locket to Cedric. As soon as he took hold of it the evil thing inside him gave some sort of sigh of relief. At least he knew that this was the real horcrux. He zipped it into his secure pouch on his bag and set the bag in one of the bedrooms.

He joined his friends in the living area, sitting down on the bench of the picnic table.

“So what now, we have no means to destroy the locket, do we prioritize that or finding the others?” Hermione asked.

“I’m pretty sure I know where to find something to destroy it. I think that the sword of Gryffindor at Hogwarts is imbued with basilisk venom. I had to do a research paper on a famous magical artifact the summer after Harry killed the basilisk and with all the rumors it seemed the most interesting.” Cedric said, “Also Dumbledore left it to Ron, so he probably meant for us to figure that out. And I think at least one of the other horcruxes is there, we should save Hogwarts for later, it’s too public. Though Cho and Ron might find it.”

The others nodded.

“So that leaves us with presumably the snake and either something of Ravenclaw’s or Hufflepuff’s cup.” Mark said.

“Well, it’s probably the cup, that we should look for because that’s more easily traceable. He probably handed it off to one of his Death Eaters like he did with the diary.” Hermione reasoned, “If someone had found a Ravenclaw artifact people would know since one hasn’t been seen since the diadem and that was centuries ago.”

“Well, we’re at a stand still until we can figure out who was given the cup.” Cedric said. “I have muggle cards so we could play some games, Lars taught me a few. At least for today, we made good progress today. We can hit the books tomorrow.”

So that was how the time passed, they spent most of the fall and into the winter reasoning which Death Eater might have the cup, reading up on spells and history, and playing card games. They would change places every few days. They eventually ran out of pre packed food, they would then use transfiguration on one of them and go into a muggle town to buy a bulk of food that would last weeks. Cedric taught the other two occlumency and how to make stronger wards. Mark brought along a guitar and a Wizarding wireless for music and news, though most of the news was Death Eater propaganda at that point. Hermione read her book from Dumbledore over and over again.

By Christmas they felt ready to try something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said last chapter, time skip, don’t want to was time with boring stuff.
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos to feed my soul!!!
> 
> Also I will pick up with the Harry cliffhanger next chapter I promise!!


	9. Godric’s Hollow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bring the tissues for this one.
> 
> Also I had to reread the funeral chapter to make sure I got the details right, so I’m extra depressed now.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

“I think we should visit Godric’s Hollow.” Hermione said.

Cedric looked up from the game of solitaire he was playing.

“I know He would expect us to, so that would make it dangerous, but it’s all we have. We could visit the Potter s ’ house to see if he left the cup or the diadem there. It would also be a chance to visit Harry, I think it’s almost Christmas. The Muggle town I did the shopping in last week seemed decked out for the holidays at least.” She continued.

“Why not? It sounds like a good plan. We just have to be extra careful.” Mark said from his post at the door, he was technically on guard duty for the next few hours.

“Er, yeah, we can go when we pack up tomorrow. Pick up some extra supplies the next town over, I’m pretty sure that one’s all Muggle.” Cedric said. 

He wasn’t too keen on visiting Harry’s grave, but aside from opening his mind to Voldemort, which was very dangerous, there really wasn’t anything else to do.

So that was how it went. They packed up the next evening, dismantling the wards and using a spell to merge their magical traces, thus making it harder to track them. With the tent stored in Mark’s duffel, they put on one of the disguises they each used for trips into Muggle towns. They then apparated to the perimeter of Godric’s Hollow.

“Where first?” Hermione asked. 

“Let’s get the Potter s ’ house out of the way. It will be better to be out in the open later at night.”

As they walked through town it was easy to tell who was a Muggle versus who was a witch or wizard. The people who had magic were more wary and jumpy. They looked tired and stressed, and rarely had children with them, but always traveled in pairs or groups. 

They walked up to the remains of the Potter house, and slipped inside when they had checked the wards and saw no one looking, covering themselves with the invisibility cloak, just in case.

As they passed through the fence, Cedric noticed the message he had left on the back of the fence.

_ Thanks for everything Harry, all my love, Ced _

Well, sometime soon he might be able to say that to Harry himself. That is if they made any progress on the horcruxes.

There was nothing to see but a blown up, depressing house that was filled with curse residue.  Cedric saw a small toy broom on the floor, he had had one just like it. Cedric picked it up as they left the house. They made their way to Harry’s grave. 

As they passed through the graveyard, Hermione noticed something on a headstone, “Guys look at this, there’s the same symbol on one of the stories in the book Dumbledore left me. I knew it wasn’t a rune, what do you think it is?”

Cedric gaped at the triangle that contained a circle and a vertical line engraved on the headstone “The Deathly Hallows.”

“What?”

“My Dad, likes wandlore, thought they were real, the artifacts from the ‘Tale of the Three Brothers.’” Cedric lied, somehow he knew exactly what it was without any knowledge prior. Though his dad was vaguely into wandlore.

** Harry had once again been stationed at the hall mirror when Cedri c , Hermione and Mark were in Godric’s Hollow.  **

** He looked and saw the symbol on the stone, the Deathly Hallows. He had been thinking about them nonstop since the revelation he had made while researching them. **

** The revelation that he could return to life.  **

** Somehow he willed some of his knowledge into Cedric’s head, because he could feel through the other side of his soul within Cedric’s body that Cedric had no idea what he was talking about.  **

** If Cedric became Master of Death, then Harry knew he could return to life. There were most certainly complications with that plan, but the now nineteen-year- old would figure them out, now he just had to figure out where they were.  **

** And that might involve a visit to Dumbledore. **

They continued on towards where Harry was buried. The headstone was surrounded by old flowers and things and covered with notes. Cedric vanished the dead plants and strange gifts, Harry wouldn’t want them anyway. 

He lifted one of the newest notes, addressed to him. ‘Stick it to You-Know-Who Cedric!’ Or ‘Do it for Harry Ced.’ There were of course a couple for Harry, Cedric was not sure how Harry was supposed to get them though. 

He vanished the notes. 

He noticed Hermione and Mark had hung back, so he felt safe to whisper, “Hey there, I miss you like crazy. Though I think I will have to join you soon. You see, I have to die in order for  H im to. So until then just know I love you too.”

He hadn’t noticed when the tears had begun to fall into the snow, and didn’t particularly care.

Hermione took a turn at the headstone and when she stepped back she conjured a bunch of wildflowers. 

She then turned to the graves of Harry’s parents, she gave Lily a wreath of poinsettias and James a bouquet of lilies. 

They stood in silence for a moment, then Cedric said, “Let’s get going.”

They apparated out of the snowy graveyard and into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To interrupt your sadness for a moment I have three small notes here:
> 
> Okay so Harry is indeed 19 dead time now, having had his 18th birthday early July living time and his 19th November living time. (With his fourth death day late October living time).
> 
> This does not take place Christmas Eve like in canon, that will be next chapter for plot purposes.
> 
> Also over on my Tumblr (@/ appalyneinstitute1 ) I did a drawing of Harry’s headstone (I felt morbid and spooky ok) you can find it on my blog under the tag Appie doodles, or the boys who L’ved spoilers


	10. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok believe it or not, I think I might be able to finish this within the next two weeks. I know we’re at 10/30 chapters, but 1. 30 was just a placeholder number because I’m bad at planning chapter counts, and 2. Once we get to the battle of Hogwarts I have a feeling *knocks on wood* that the chapters will flow out rather quickly. 
> 
> I do have a plan for making a part 5, a series of connected one shots that will serve as an epilogue for this part.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy some fluff that ended up getting the tiniest bit angsts at the end!
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

They set up camp in the woods roughly ten miles from Cedric’s parent’s house. They were too tired to try to focus on a random place in the woods for the night. 

It was near dawn on Cedric’s watch shift when he heard a rustling noise outside. He hurriedly woke up Mark and Hermione, and downed some of the polyjuice leftover from the wedding, he had saved it for an emergency. 

He stepped outside the tent, wand drawn, “Who’s there?”

As he stepped further away from the tent he saw two figures emerge from the darkness, one supporting the other.

He recognized one of them instantly, “Cho? Is it really you? What did you yell at m e about at the Yule ball?”

“Ced?” She asked.

“Maybe?” He winked, he was pretty sure it was Cho, but it was better to be safe. They had come up with a winking code before he left, to make sure that Cedric wasn’t giving his identity away to just anyone.

“Oh thank god. Yes it really is me, I yelled at you for stepping on my feet at the Yule Ball two years ago. You were unfocused because you were staring at Harry. Now we have to get him inside, he needs some medical attention.”

Cedric then noticed that the figure she was holding up was a very battered looking Ron. 

He led them into the tent where Hermione and Mark appeared ready to strike, “Relax guys it’s just us.”

Mark rushed over to move Ron to the spare bedroom. As soon as she could Hermione rushed over and was kissing Cho. Cedric followed Mark and started to help heal Ron in the spare bedroom, letting the girls have their moment. 

Ron was not in good shape to say the least. He was bruised all over and had a few cuts. He was also covered in dirt and  felt  quite cold. Cedric supposed the cold made sense as Ron had just been out in the freezing December air and was badly injured. Cedric vanished the dirt and started to put some dittany on the cuts. Mark began to put some salve on the bruises. 

The girls came in a moment later and Mark went to be on watch shift. They sat in silence for a while until Ron woke up. Cedric gave him a pepperup to drink and finally some of the color returned to Ron’s face.

“Now that the immediate threat of Ron’s injuries has been taken care of can you tell us how you managed to find us?”

“The Deluminator. The thing Dumbledore left me.” Cho started,“At first we thought it just switched the lights on and off, but then one day I was really missing you guys. I clicked it and a light went into my chest. Somehow I knew had I not been in Hogwarts and unable to apparate, I could have gone straight to you guys. 

“Ron decided that Dumbledore meant for him to steal the sword, which is out in the living area by the way, and went to steal it right before we went away to break. He was nearly caught too. That’s how he got so injured. Then it appeared to him and he fought his way out.”

“The Death Eaters were none too pleased with me.” Ron snorted.

“I found him and snuck us on a carriage to the Hogsmeade station. I then clicked the thing and it sent a light like it had done before and I apparated us straight here from the carriage.”

Cedric was stunned, “Are you okay? And also you have the sword?”

“Yes to both.” Cho smiled, “I take it you found it’s use?”

“Yup, I’m pretty sure it can destroy horcruxes.”

“Let’s go try it on the locket now.” Hermione said and stood up, “Are you okay here Ron?”

He nodded.

Cedric retrieved the locket from the zip pocket on his backpack. He brought it into the living area and placed it next to the sword which was lying on the picnic table. 

“You do it Hermione, you’re the Gryffindor.” Cho encouraged. 

Hermione reached for the sword. “Ouch!” It had zapped her, “I think Ron has to do it. The sword appeared to him.” 

The other nodded.

The last few days until Christmas ticked by as Ron healed. They took turns entertaining him and taking watch at the door of the tent. Despite his injured friend Cedric found the atmosphere in the tent to be more positive these few days. Whether it was them getting more sleep because they had more people to rotate through the watch shift, or the fact that they knew Christmas was soon, or that they would have one horcrux destroyed as soon as Ron healed enough to do, Cedric did not know. 

At last Christmas Day rolled around. They gathered in the living area to have some sort of celebration. Cedric turned on the wireless and let the music play, Cho and Hermione cuddled on the floor, and Mark snuck into the village and bought some butterbeer. 

At about five in the evening Ron, who was sat in a chair near the wireless, started tapping it with his wand, saying the word “Truce” while turning the dial around. 

“Welcome back to our special Christmas Day edition of Safe Haven Radio.” Said a voice, not just any radio announcer though, it sounded like Lee Jordan, “Tonight we have me, River,”

“Me, Royal.” Said the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

“Me, Rottweiler” Said Sirius, Sirius was on the show too?

“And me, Romulus.” Said the voice of Remus.

“What is this?” Cedric asked Ron.

“Safe Haven, a radio station that is protected by a password and reports real news. Not Death Eater and Ministry propaganda like the rest.” Cho explained, “Last time they implied their next episode would be on Christmas. They started using phrases and names from the Order as passwords, but they kept getting found so they switched to Muggle battles, since the Death Eaters wouldn’t know those.”

“But it was Truce today? That doesn’t sound like a battle.” Mark said.

“It’s not.” Hermione said “I think it might be about the truce between the English and German soldiers that happened on Christmas in 1914 in World War I. My parents told me about it. Soldiers all over the western front ceased fire. Both sides sang carols, played football, and exchanged gifts, nothing big, just simple cigarettes and things. It was also a chance to bury their dead.”

“Wow.” Ron said.

Cedric agreed, it was impressive the Muggles could just stop a battle to have a peaceful holiday with the enemy side.

“And now a moment of silence for Bathilda Bagshot, Alastor ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody, Dirk Cresswell, Ted Tonks, the Goblin Gornuk, and many other unnamed Muggles that have been taken from the world these past few weeks. May they Rest In Peace.”

Cedric’s brain was struggling to process. He knew that this was a war and that there were casualties. HE should know better than most, but hearing the names of people that died that he really didn’t know made it seem more real. Like this war was definitely not just his problem and his fight. The tent was silent for a minute. 

Eventually the radio picked up again. Sirius and Remus speculated that Cedric was still alive, thinking that the Death Eaters would make a big deal of his death. There was an announcement of the imprisonment of Xenophilius Lovegood because he had kept publishing the truth in his magazine. Fred and George came on for a while and then the show ended.

The tent was silent for a while after the show was over. Then Hermione asked, “What do you guys want to do with your lives after all this? Or what would you be doing if the war wasn’t happening?”

“Well, I guess I would be doing something with my band.” Mark started, “We would be pretty successful, maybe not world famous. As a job outside of that, I guess I might have been working in the Ministry. I’d want some sort of significant other, maybe adopt some kids further down the line.” Mark blushed, Cho seemed to notice.

“Anyone in particular at the moment?” 

“I— well, Charlie and I, there was a hint of something there the day before we left. I wouldn’t assume it would be long term though.” Mark blushed some more, “What about you Cho?”

“Oh, well I would probably be a healer, or maybe just be one of the people that teach healing. That would be better hours, especially if I have a wife.” She glanced at Hermione and squeezed her hand, “I don’t really care whether I have kids or not, perhaps only one kid is in my future. I would make sure to stay local so my kid could go to Hogwarts and so I can see my parents.”

“Me too, I think I would only want one kid, maybe two. I would definitely want to stay near my parents, they would be a great help for childcare since they work alternating days. I think that I want to be a lawyer or work in the Creatures division of the Ministry. I’d try to enact real change.” Hermione smiled at Cho.

“I think I’d be a good Auror.” Ron said, “Though if I had kids, I’d become a stay at home dad. Maybe pick up a few shifts at Fred and George’s joke shop if we needed the extra money. Unless my wife wants to be a stay at home Mom, but that would be up to her. I’d probably go full time at the joke shop if that was the case.”

All eyes turned to Cedric, “Well I think that I’d have started in the wards division at the Ministry and maybe have learned some business skills at a University. Then I would be able to start my own wards business. I’d have a husband eventually, and I want three kids. It was no fun growing up all by myself, but I think two kids could get divisive really quickly. When I get too old to run a wards business I would be open to teaching at Hogwarts. I really enjoyed instructing the H.A. last year.” Before he knew it there were tears in his eyes, at the thought that he would never have any of this. 

The girls noticed and moved over to hug him. Then Mark, then Ron, who was still a bit slow on his feet. 

“Don’t worry, we’re gonna get Him.” Mark whispered.


	11. The Elder Wand

Ron was able to destroy the horcrux within the first week of January. They were about to move places for the second time since Ron and Cho had arrived and thought it better to destroy then move along. 

Cedric decided to open the locket for Ron to destroy it. What none of them expected was a smoky figure rising out of the locket. It held Ron in a trance. Cedric couldn’t make out who the figure was or what it was saying. The others started trying to snap him out of it.

After about five minutes Ron came back to himself and banged the sword down onto the locket. It whinedas the horcrux died. Cedric felt the thing in him whimper as part of itself died. 

“What was that?” Cedric asked.

“It did the thing that the diary did, or something.” Ron panted, “It looked like Harry, but it was not anything like him. I think its defense was to prey on my insecurities.”

After a few moments Cedric gathered up the pieces of the locket and said, “We should get moving, especially if we are going to get some more food before it gets dark.”

The others nodded. Cho took Hermione’s hand and disapparated, Cho having passed the apparation test soon after her June birthday. Cedric took Ron’s hand and disapparated away as well. 

The next few months went about the same as the fall, except much colder and snowier. Eventually it was April and the snow was melting. Cedric was on watch at the door of the tent late at night.

_ He was flying, but not on a broom, it was just his magic propelling him, and then he was landing. It was outside a prison, he ventured inside striding confidently to the cell. _

_ It was the only one with an occupant. An aged wizard sat on the floor of the cell staring off into the darkness. “I know why you’re here.” The wizard said, “You want to find the wand, you want its power.” _

_ “And you will tell me where it is.” A high voice came out of his mouth. _

_ “I think you already know. You are simply afraid to think it.” _

_ “Tell me where it is!” _

_ “Who won it off of me?” The old wizard, Grindelwald, said. _

_“Dumbledore. I suppose I do know where it is.” He paused, “ Avada Kedavra!”_

Cedric was startled awake as the dream ended abruptly. 

** Harry strode through the halls of Hades, the school was styled much more like a giant Muggle school than Hogwarts, following the path to where a multitude of teachers taught transfiguration. After months of tossing and turning he had resigned himself to speaking with Dumbledore.  **

** He was now twenty, he could handle speaking to Dumbledore like an adult. Even if the man had tried to set him, and then his boyfriend up like lambs for slaughter. And lied about it. And hadn’t made the slightest move to apologize to Harry even though he had been here for nearly three years.  **

** Harry shook off the negative thoughts and entered room 713.  **

** “Ah, Harry, my boy, I was wondering how long it would take for you to come make a visit.” Dumbledore smiled, then frowned when he caught sight of Harry’s translucent skin, made more noticeable by the dark colored clothes he wore. **

** “Where are the stone and the wand?” Harry asked, skipping the pleasantries. **

** “Excuse me?” **

** “The resurrection stone and the elder wand, who has them?” **

** “If you must know I gave the stone to Cedric, he will find it when he needs it.” **

** “You mean when he’s about to die?” **

** “How do you know this?”  **

** “I’ve been here for almost six years with nearly half my soul in Cedric’s body. I have my reasons to remain curious with what goes on in the living realm.” **

** “Oh. That’s why you aren’t solid looking. Interesting.” **

** “What about the elder wand?” **

** “It was buried with me, though I believe Lord Voldemort is going after it as we speak, not that it would be loyal to him.” **

** “Huh?” **

** “You see Harry, the elder wand would be loyal to the one who disarmed me, unless i had been able to retrieve it for myself.” **

** “So it’s loyal to Snape?” Harry asked, frowning. **

** “Actually no, that did not go according to plan. I have no idea who has its loyalty now.” **

** “Thanks Professor, I’ll take it from here.” Harry turned and walked out without another word. **

** Harry decided to finally go bug Inquiry about the wand, he had wanted to do it on his own, but this was important. As he walked to the building in the middle of town he thought about what Dumbledore had said, that who disarmed him did not go according to his plan, that meant Dumbledore had to have orchestrated his own death.  **

** He had meant for Snape to kill him.  **

** What did that say about Snape though, did he know he was being manipulated? Did Dumbledore ask Snape to murder him? **

** None of these questions actually helped Harry, but his interest was piqued nonetheless.  **

** He finally had arrived at Inquiry’s, he opened the door and stepped in. Today there was a short line of souls waiting for their advice and answers.  **

** Harry stepped into the end of the line and waited his turn. **

** Eventually he reached the front, “Hey Inquiry, I want to know if you can find the owner of a wand that is made of elder wood and has a thestral hair core.” **

** “Can do.” They smiled and turned to the monitor. Today they had chosen a neon green crop top and bell bottom jeans. for the first time Harry had seen their black and white hair wasn’t long, but rather quite short and in a buzz cut. **

** After a few clicks they turned the screen around for Harry to see, “Looks like your little horcrux has the all powerful elder wand in his possession. Also the two other hallows, my my my, no one has ever managed that.” **

** “I know. Thanks.” Harry turned to leave, he had some things he could work on memorizing now that he knew who could control the wand, and of course it was Cedric. **

** “Wait, I wanna know what you’re planning.” They called after him, quite intrigued. **

** “I found a series of spells, that could hopefully bring me back to life. My parents are actually okay with it too. But I would let it be Cedric’s choice.” **

** “You have a body down there you could use? Otherwise you’ll be a twenty year old stuck in a fourteen year old’s body.” **

** “I didn’t think about that.” **

** “Looks like you’ve got some things to figure out. You know where to find me if you need me.” **


	12. Malfoy Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, long chapter, like I said, I am getting into a flow as the plot (finally!) gets interesting.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

Cedric was dashing into the tent, “Voldemort’s going for the elder wand!”

The others were quickly up and out of their rooms. Before they had a chance to respond Cedric realized the mistake he had made. “Shit, we gotta pack, I said his name the Death Eaters will be here.”

Everyone gathered their bags and rushed outside. Hermione hit him with two spells as Mark cast the spell to fold the tent. Cho has stuffing all the large bags and things into Hermione’s small beaded bag, and shoving it into her robes. 

“Was that a stinging hex?” Cedric asked as he worked to dismantle the wards.

“Yes, to alter the look of your scar by making it swell, the other was a small bit of transfiguration on your face.”

They then heard the sounds of someone apparating in. 

“Snatchers” Ron whispered.

“Is anyone there?” Growled out a voice.

A group of six figures came into the clearing. Cedric could tell that the leader was Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf that was sometimes in the papers for attacking children.

“H-hello.” Cedric stuttered, not entirely falsely.

“Which one of you kids said the Dark Lord’s name?” Fenrir said with a snarl.

“I-I did sir. We were camping and it was a dare.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes.” 

“What’s your name boy?”

“Edward, Edward Cullen.” Cedric said coming up with a name on the spot.

“Blood status?”

“Pureblood, my father’s American.”

“What’s that on your neck?”

“Stray stinging hex, my girlfriend,” he motioned to Hermione, “was trying to aim at him,” He nodded to Ron, “For his dare, she missed.”

“What’s your name missy?” Asked one of the women in Fenrir’s pack, facing Cho.

“Bella Swan.” She breathed. “Half-blood”

“Hey, this girly looks like mudblood from the wanted poster.” Said the werewolf looking at Hermione.

“This one looks like he is too, said to be hiding out with Cedric Diggory.” Said another who was in Mark’s face.

“This one’s a Weasley!” Called the female who had moved on from Cho to Ron. “I bet he’s the one that caused all the fuss at Hogwarts in December.”

“All right, we’re taking you kids in.” Fenrir stated. 

One of the werewolves cast a charm tying them up in ropes. The Werewolves came and snatched up their wands as well. They were led to a plain looking carriage, tingling with magic, and were dumped inside it. Inside there were two other prisoners, one of the Gryffindors in Ron and Hermione’s year, and a female goblin.

“Dean?” Ron whispered.

“Ron? Hermione? You got captured too?”

Hermione nodded, trying to wiggle out of the ropes.

All of a sudden the carriage was squeezed through the void of apparation.  So that’s what the magic coating the carriage was for. 

They were pulled out of the carriage and forced to walk through the hedges that were outside the carriage. Peacocks lined the hedges and Cedric knew exactly where they were. They were at Malfoy Manor, and with any luck, Draco might be there to help them. 

They were brought into the ballroom of the manor. It was ornately decorated with blacks and greens, with touches of silver here and there. They were forced to kneel in a line while the snatchers spoke with the Malfoys. 

Draco walked in a few moments later, his sleeves rolled up, the dark mark on his left arm on display. He looked ill, but held his head high. 

“Draco, good thing you’re here, we want you to identify some fugitives before we call the Dark Lord, we don’t want to be hasty and cause a false alarm.” Lucius told his son. 

Draco looked over at the group, nothing in his face changed. Cedric swallowed. 

“I have no idea who these people are.”

“Are you sure nephew dearest?” Bellatrix walked in a dagger in her hand. “She looks a lot like the mudblood on the wanted poster, wasn’t she in your year at Hogwarts?”

“Granger? That girl looks nothing like the little mudblood, thank goodness too, she was rather ugly.” Malfoy smirked.

“What about him? Surely he is the Weasley that caused all the ruckus at Hogwarts this past winter.”

“The red hair does fit, but there are so many of them I can’t tell. You could always see if he has the sword on him, that would be a tell.”

The Death Eaters searched Ron and found nothing, the sword was tucked into Hermione’s beaded bag within Cho’s cloak.

Then Cedric felt something shift on his face, the transfigurations were fading.

“My, my, my.” Bellatrix said with a particularly sadistic smile, “You’re face is changing. That’s something Mr. Diggory.”

Cedric forced himself not to react to the name. 

“I don’t think that’s him.” Draco murmured weakly.

“This is him isn’t it?” She demanded looking over at a figure Cedric had not noticed was in the room, his mother.

His mother walked over to face him, her eyes widened. “Cedric.” She breathed.

“I knew it!” Bellatrix exclaimed, she took out her wand and pressed the tip to the mark on her arm. Smiling, “Which means this must be the little mudblood he was traveling with.” She stared at Hermione, “Leave her for me, and take the rest to the dungeon.”

Draco and the snatchers went down to the dungeons of Malfoy manor. As they left Hermione behind they could hear her screaming along with Bellatrix’s gleeful calls of “ _Crucio_!” Cho started sobbing uncontrollably.

Once they were locked in Cedric heard Draco say from beyond the door, “I’ll take their wands, the Dark Lord will want them as trophies.”

Cedric looked over at the figures in the dark who had already been occupying the dungeon. “Who else is here?”

“Cedric?” An airy voice asked.

“Luna?”

She smiled and came over and hugged him. 

“Who else is down here?”

“It was just Mr. Ollivander and I for the longest time, but now you are all here.”

“How are we going to get out of here?” Ron asked.

“Well we can’t apparate.” Ollivander’s voice croaked from the  corner where he sat, “They have anti apparation wards, only thing that comes in and out are the house elves that bring us food.”

“House elves?” Ron asked, “You sure?”

Luna nodded.

“Dobby, we need socks.” Ron whispered.

“What was that?” Cedric asked.

“Well back at Hogwarts those of us who wanted to escape the death eaters started living in the room of requirement. Since Dobby is a free elf, he didn’t have to follow orders, so he brought us food. He put a sort of trace or taboo on the phrase that would call him. It was only a handful of people’s voices that were keyed to it. One of them was mine.” Ron explained.

A crack sounded and Dobby appeared.

“What is Harry Potter’s Wheezy be needing?” The elf said.

“We need you to get us out of here. Take us to Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth.” Ron said, “You can apparate all of out if we combine our energies right?”

“Yes Mister Wheezy Sir.”

“What about Hermione?” Mark asked from where he was comforting Cho, “And our wands?”

“I can stay and get them.” Cedric said. “The rest of you get out of here. When all of you dissapparate the crack will be loud enough to alert someone, they’ll come get me. Dobby, can you come back and get me in say half an hour?”

“Yes, Harry Potter’s Ceddy.” Cedric smiled at the nickname the elf had given him.

“Okay, good luck.” Cedric said as everyone gathered around Dobby. The six humans, elf, and goblin disapparated with a deafening crack.

“What was that?” Cedric heard Bellatrix ask, well he supposed yell because she was a floor above them, “Draco, go check on the prisoners.”

Cedric heard footsteps and then the door unlocked. Draco entered the room.

“Where are the others?” He asked looking concerned.

“They escaped, they left me to get Hermione.”

“When you leave, take me with you, I can’t stand it here, I held out for as long as I could but I had to come home at Christmas and Voldemort marked me.” Draco looked on the verge of tears.

“Of course.”

“Here’s your wand.” Draco held it up and let Cedric take it.

“Is there anything wrong down here Draco?”

Cedric knew that voice,it had haunted his nightmares. Peter Pettigrew, the one who murdered Harry.

Wormtail entered the room. 

As much as Cedric wanted him dead he couldn’t bring himself to cast the killing curse so the next best thing was “ _Flipendo_!”  He focused all his energy into the blow knocking Wormtail into the stairs, his body hitting them with a sickening crack.

Draco went over to check that he was out. “He’s dead.” Draco whispered.

Cedric fought the urge to vomit, he had just killed someone, and out of vengeance no less. In that moment he almost felt no better than Voldemort. 

“Let’s go.” Cedric said dashing past the body up the stairs. 

“Wait.” Draco called from the top of the stairs. He grabbed Cedric’s hands and pulled them behind his back. “Let’s make this a little believable.”

They strode into the room where Hermione was being tortured, “The others escaped. He was the only one down there. He got Wormtail too.” Draco said flatly.

“Oh my, the Hufflepuff has some teeth then, he actually killed the rat?” Bellatrix smirked.

“Shut it or you’ll be next.” Cedric glared, as much as he hated it, he decided it was better to play it arrogant, rather than panicky. Though he definitely felt more panicky. “Let, Hermione go and I’ll let Voldemort do to me whatever he wishes, if not, I take her and leave.”

“And how do you think you’re getting out? It’s not like you have anymore of your little friends here.”

“You sure about that?”

In that moment Draco let go of his hands and flung a stunner at his mother. Narcissa fell to the ground unharmed. 

“Playing both sides are you Draco?” Bellatrix laughed, “Well, you know what happens to traitors,  _Crucio_!”

Cedric sent a stunner to his mother much like Draco had done. He then moved to take on Lucius.

The two exchanged hexes for a while then he heard the sound of Dobby apparating in. 

“Look out below!” Dobby yelled before sending the chandelier crashing down onto Lucius and Bellatrix, both of whom’s wands went flying. Draco ended up catching Bellatrix’s wand. 

The two moved over to Hermione, followed by Dobby. “Let’s get out of here.” Draco said.

And in the moment they disapparated a flash of silver flew from Bellatrix’s hand towards them and Dobby let out a yelp.


	13. More information about the MacGuffins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!!!
> 
> I’m shooting for another one tomorrow, then hopefully two this coming week. I have classes and things that are starting up again, and maybe be at regular work hours so we shall see what happens.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

They landed on the grass outside the cottage, a few yards from the sea. Cho and Ron were immidiately there and carrying Hermione inside. 

Cedric looked down to Dobby who was lying on the ground, dead. Bellatrix’s dagger had struck him right through the heart. 

“What do you want to do with him?” Cedric asked Draco.

“What?”

“Harry told me that he had been one of your house elves before he was freed.”

“Oh, I don’t think I should have a say then. He really didn’t like my family, I guess he liked me a bit, but I’d rather him be free.”

“Well, my family cremates our elves, we could do that.”

“That works.”

Cedric conjured a few logs and some rope to tie them together. They placed Dobby’s body onto the logs and set them in the waves. A simple spell set it ablaze. 

They stood there until the initial flames died down, then, at last, went inside. 

Bill and Fleur had apparently moved in together sometime in the past seven months. 

Hermione was lying on the couch, still unconscious. Apparently Luna and Ollivander had been taken to the bedrooms to rest. As had the Goblin, who had been injured when she was taken in by the snatchers. Dean and Cho sat at the kitchen table playing a game with the Muggle cards, Ron was helping Fleur make breakfast, Mark was sitting staring out at the sunrise, and Bill was watching over Hermione. 

At the sight of all the Gryffindors Draco unrolled his sleeves uncomfortably. 

“Cedric, thank Merlin you’re okay!” Fleur said, having noticed him come in. She came over and wrapped him in a hug. 

“Yeah.”

“What’s the game plan from here boss?” Mark asked.

“Let’s take it a bit slow for a second. We were up well before the sun rose, and I was up for hours before that, let’s eat, then we can pitch the tent and sleep for a bit. Then we can make a plan, it would be good to include Luna if she wants to join.” He glanced at Dean, “You can  come  too, if you want.”

“Thanks.” Dean smiled.

All of them gathered at the table and sat down to eat. Fleur and Ron had done an excellent job on breakfast. They then went outside and set up the tent, Mark simply cast a disillusionment charm on it, the wards on the property would keep them safe for the time being. 

Draco stood outside the cottage awkwardly. 

“Come on, I promise Ron won’t bite.” Cedric smiled. 

“Ok.” 

Draco followed Cedric into the tent and looked around “This is where you’ve lived for the past seven months?”

“Yup. Now since Cho has decided to stay inside and keep an eye on Hermione, you can take my bed, and I’ll take her’s, sound good?”

Draco nodded.

“It’s just through there,” Cedric pointed, “If you need to freshen up there’s a bathroom just beyond it.”

Cedric headed to Cho and Hermione’s room and sat on the bed. He went through his now thoroughly practiced occlumency rituals, twice. He wanted to be sure that what had happened hours earlier would not happen again.

He then fell asleep.

When Cedric woke up he found the tent empty, he headed into the cottage where everyone sat around an enlarged table eating lunch. 

“Hey sleepyhead.” Mark said.

Cedric rolled his eyes. “Is Hermione up yet?”

“She woke up about an hour ago, we gave her some healing potions and sleeping draught. She should be up in time for dinner.” Bill said.

Cedric nodded.

“Hey Cedric, before all the crazy happened, you said something about You-Know-Who going after the elder wand? What was that about?” Cho asked.

“Oh, well I fell asleep on watch, my occlumency shields slipped and I saw into his mind. He was interrogating, I think it was Grindelwald, you know the famous dark wizard before He gained power? Well anyway, he was asking about a wand. Grindelwald was known for trying to possess the Hallows, so I figured that was what he was after.”

“Okay, but how do we know it’s even the real one? Or if any of the hallows are even real?” Mark asked.

“Ron, didn’t you say something about Harry inheriting the invisibility cloak from his father.”

“Yeah. Dumbledore gave it to him our first Christmas at Hogwarts. His Dad, Remus, Sirius, and Wormtail used it when they were in school to pull off pranks and sneak out.”

“What invisibility cloak lasts over ten years let alone twenty. And why would Dumbledore have it unless it was to inspect it to see if it was really a Hallow?”

“He did leave that symbol in Hermione’s book.” Cho conceded. 

“Right, so wouldn’t it make sense that he wanted us to find the Hallows, or at least stop Him from using them?”

“Okay, so let’s say He’s after the real wand, and knows where it is. He’s probably already taken it. We’d have to ask Ollivander to make sure, but I think that You-Know-Who won’t have good control over it unless he kills the previous owner.” Mark said.

“The previous owner was Dumbledore according to Grindelwald. But that would make Snape the master of the wand, wouldn’t it?” Ron asked.

“So he’s probably planning on killing him soon.” Draco finished. 

“Meaning, that we’d need to get into Hogwarts to get to Snape and protect him.” Cedric said.

“Protect that traitor?” Ron asked incredulously.

“Yes, besides we need to find the thing that is hidden there anyway. But before we do that I think we should find the one that presumably, one of the Death Eaters has somewhere. Draco, do you know which Death Eater You-Know-Who would trust the most, to keep something very important?”

“Well, my father, for one.”

“He already kept one, Harry got it in his second year.”

“Well then probably my psychotic Aunt Bella. She would keep it in her Gringotts vault. That’s all she, her husband and his brother were left with after they went to Azkaban. What are these things even?”

“Oh, er, I guess I can tell you.” Cedric figured, “They’re pieces of You-Know-Who’s soul. We’ve gotta destroy them before we can kill him. Three have already been destroyed and now we need to get the last ones, a cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, presumably the lost Ravenclaw diadem, and we’re pretty sure his snake is one as well.”  And of course me.  Cedric added in his mind.

“Oh, so that’s why he seems to give his snake orders without hissing at it.” Draco concluded, “Wormtail said that he had stopped speaking Parseltounge to her before Harry died, but didn’t know why.”

“So we know where the cup is, hopefully. Now we need to break into Gringotts to get it back.” Cedric said, “Now let’s start planning.”

** Harry was sitting in the living room when his parents came in. He was pouring over books about how to create himself a body, and sadly, the best thing he could find was the same ritual Voldemort had used to revive himself.  **

** That was not going to work. **

** “You look stressed hon, what’s up?” His mum asked. **

** “Well I was at Inquiry’s the other day to ask them about who possesses the elder wand. They asked why I needed to know. I told them about the whole revival plan, but they mentioned that I’d probably need a new body, unless I wanted to be a twenty year old in a fourteen year old’s skin.” **

** “Oh.” Lily frowned, as much as she was on board with Harry’s plan, Harry knew that she didn’t like the thought of him leaving. **

** “Use mine.” James said after a moment. **

** “What?” Harry almost laughed. **

** “You heard me. We look enough alike that you would still feel like you, and I was only a year older than you are now when I died. It’s not like I’m gonna have any use for it.” **

** “You’re serious?” **

** “It’s a bit strange, but what about all this isn’t.”  **

** “Oh, er, thanks. That solves that problem I guess.” **

** “Just name one of your kids after me and we’ll call it even.” His father smirked. **

** “Will do.”  **

** That night as Harry went to sleep for the first time he let himself think,  I could go back to Cedric .  **

** He hoped that Cedric would have him. **


	14. The Heist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! At last! The first week of classes has been rough on me so maybe I won’t finish by the end of next week....
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

The next two weeks were spent planning their upcoming heist of Gringotts. The Goblin, who turned out to be Roseked, the one who had been charged with taking care of Harry’s will, became extremely helpful. Cedric had to promise her all the Goblin made artifacts in the Diggory vaults first, but Cedric really didn’t care, his family really had no use for them. Roseked became quite outgoing after that.

Ollivander confirmed that Snape would be master of the elder wand. Ron was still not up to the idea of protecting Snape, but agreed that it was better than killing him. What was interesting though was that Draco was now master of Bellatrix’s old wand, Ollivander had said so when Draco had asked him about it.

After that day Bill and Fleur took Ollivander to where the rest of the Weasley’s were hiding out. Slowly a concrete plan started to take form.

At last the day came, they decided that they would go on the first day of May. The group would split into two, Cedric, Draco, and Roseked would go to the bank and get the cup. The others would go to Hogwarts and await their arrival afterwords.

Draco sat outside dressed in robes that had been transfigured to resemble Bellatrix’s, Hermione came out and gave him a triple dose of polyjuice that would transform him into his aunt. Apparently the crazy witch shedded or something when she was torturing Hermione, because Hermione had found one of her hairs on her robes. Cedric was leaning against the house and watched as his cousin transformed into the raving lunatic that was Bellatrix Lestrange.

“Are we ready to go or what?” Roseked said coming out of the house.

“Yeah, just a sec.” Cedric turned to Cho, “You sure you have a way into Hogwarts?”

“Yes, it’s a new passage through the Hog’s head. The owner gave us the food so the Death Eaters and loyal house elves didn’t notice it missing from the kitchens.”

“Okay, please be careful, and try to find the diadem before we get there if you can. That way we can get them both done fast.”

“Ced, don’t worry. We’ve got this. He’s going down.”

With that said, Cedric covered both himself and Roseked with the invisibility cloak took Draco’s hand and disapparated.

They landed in Knockturn alley. Draco led the way to Gringotts from there. Being around Bellatrix let him in onto some of her mannerisms and how she carried herself. Hopefully that and the wand would be enough for the goblins at the bank to buy it. Otherwise a well placed confundus charm should get them in.

“Here we go.” Draco whispered to no one in particular.

Cedric watched as his cousin marched up the steps and entered the bank. He followed along quickly so that he could make it through the doors.

“H-Hello Mrs. Lestrange. I’m Bogrod, and I’m at your servivce.” The goblin behind the desk stuttered as ‘Bellatrix’ approached, “What brings you in today.”

“I need to access my vault.” Draco said forcefully.

“R-right. The bank requires a key, or some other identification, your wand will suffice.”

“Do you not realize that I am the Dark Lord’s right hand woman?” Draco said, apparently channeling his younger self that relied on his father’s reputation, “Why should I prove myself to a measly little thing like you?”

“I-it’s standard procedure. Gringotts policy. It’s part of the reason that we can keep your money safe.”

“Fine fine, here it is.” Draco rolled his eyes, producing the wand.

“Okay, if you’ll follow me.”

Cedric followed closely as Bogrod led Draco into the cart. He and Roseked hopped onto the back and it zoomed away. After a few seconds Cedric cast a stupefy on Bogrod and Roseked took over the controls fo the cart.

“The Thief’s Downfall is up ahead. It’ll wake Bogrod up, and melt your disguises.” Roseked said, “be ready to stun him after we pass through!”

Cedric heard a rush of water up ahead. They made another turn as they continued their descent and he saw a massive waterfall covering the tracks. They barreled towards it and as soon as they hit the water, the cartflung them out onto hard ground.

Draco thought quickly and cast a cushioning charm onto the floor.

Cedric pointed his wand at Bogrod, who had woken up, “Stupefy!”

The Goblin was knocked out once again.

“He won’t be out long, we should get moving.” Cedric said, lookin to Draco, who’s disguise had fallen away in the water.

The others nodded.

They raced along towards the vault, Roseked stopped at a box and grabbed something. She shook it around it made a very loud noise, similar to that of the carts. “There’s a Dragon guarding this next turn, sadly it was trained to expect pain when it hears the sound, so this is the only way around it.” She explained.

“We could distract it with a dog, quick, Cedric where’s the nearest rock?” Draco joked.

“Did you just make a joke?”

“Yes, and I thought it was quite funny thank you very much.”

“Fine, but when you’re in need of a transfigured dog in the future and I refuse to help you, you might not find it all that funny.”

Draco rolled his eyes, but smiled.

They walked past the Dragon quickly, it had retreated into a corner terrified of the noises the clapper that Roseked had was making. Just beyond that they reached the vault.

“Here we are.” Roseked said, “The vault of Bellatrix Lestrange. Okay, now we are going to need some of your blood and the mark on your left arm.” She looked to Draco.

Draco nodded solemnly and cast a slicing hex at the palm of his left hand.

“Place it there.” Roseked pointed to a receptor on the door. Draco touched his bleeding palm to it and pulled back hissing in pain.

“You okay?” Cedric asked.

“Yeah, it just hurts.” He cast a healing charm on his hand, “It’s fine now.”

“And now for her new security feature, hold the Dark Mark a few inches away from the receptor. You should feel a tingle of magic.”

Draco did as he was told then quickly pulled his sleeve back over the mark.

The door opened after a series of locks clicking.

“Don’t touch anything.” Roseked said, “All the contents are charmed to multiply and get hot when they are touched. Use and insulation charm on your sleeve and grab what you need with that, then we can get out of here. Being in her vault is giving me the creeps.”

Cedric made his way to the back of the vault and found what he was looking for on a high shelf. “Accio!” He tried to summon it, but it didn’t move an inch. What if he summoned the shelf? There wouldn't be any charms on it to keep it from coming, he’d just have to be careful and move it slowly.

He moved his wand slowly, aiming it at the shelf as he tried again “Accio.” The shelf drifted over to him without tipping, thankfully. He cast the charm to insulate his sleeve and grabbed the cup, holing on tightly as about a dozen fake replicas were made and clattered to the floor.

“I’ve got it let’s go!” He called to the other two who were off in the depths of the vault.

They raced to the door and were greeted with a brigade of goblins and human guards “There they are!” Called Bogrod “Arrest them!”

The guards started sending spells towards the three, Draco and Cedric sent their own volley of spells right back.

They were backed into a pile of gold. The coins started burning hot and multiplying. Amidst the chaos Draco and Cedric escaped the vault.

They turned to see one of the guards had captured Roseked. “Go on without me, it’s more important that He is taken care of!” She called.

Draco snagged Cedric’s arm and pulled him away. Cedric regained his bearings just as they approached the dragon.

“How are we getting past that thing?” Draco panted, “The clappers are on the other side, the ones Roseked had are now lost in Bella’s vault.”

“We’re not, you see how cruelly they’ve treated that dragon? Well If it were unchained it would do almost anything to escape, we just need to get on it’s back and cut the chains. Grab on.”

Draco clutched Cedric’s extended arm as Cedric apparated the two onto the Dragon, just behind its head. They cast severing charms at all the chains and as soon as the dragon realized what was going on it flew straight up, crashing through the window in the ceiling above it, and then up through the rest of the bank.

It stood on the roof, wings spread wide and roared, unleashing a current of fire. Then it took off flying North so far as Cedric could tell.


	15. Getting to Hogwarts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay important update on the ‘code’ for the battle of Hogwarts!!!
> 
> I will be bouncing back and forth from Cedric to Harry rather quickly so pay attention to that. When Cedric is seeing into Voldy’s mind the words will be italicized, no quotation marks. If there are quotation marks around italicized phrases (that are not spells) then it is the thing where Voldemort speaks into everyone’s minds. 
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

**Harry watched as Cedric and Malfoy rode the dragon from the bank father north. Something in him sensed that everything would be over soon.**

**Cedric and Malfoy jumped from the Dragon down into a lake. They climbed out of the water and dried themselves off. After a few minutes the two apparated away into the night.**

They landed in Hogsmeade, the Death Eaters descended upon them, they were out past curfew.

They acted quickly Draco conjured one of the Death Eater masks and lengthened his hair. Cedric pulled his face under his hood and took a swig of the last of the emergency polyjuice.

“Who’s there?” Called a Death Eater.

“Relax Yaxley, it is only me.” Draco said imitating his father.

“What are you doing here Lucius?” The Yaxley spat.

“I just heard rumor that my traitor of a son was seen around here, wanted to find him and bring him back to the Dark Lord myself.” Draco drawled.

“And who, might you be?” Another Death Eater said, getting uncomfortably close to Cedric.

“Leo Ouimet, I was passing through and unaware of the curfew. Lucius was escorting me to the Hog’s Head when you arrived.”

“Fine, move along, I shall see you later tonight Lucius.” The second Death Eater said.

“Always a pleasure Dolohov.” Draco said, grabbing Cedric up and forcibly guiding him to the Hog’s Head.

“Good thinking.” Cedric whispered.

“Quiet, you’re lucky I haven’t crucioed you yet.” Draco said, still using Lucius’ voice.

Cedric fought the urge to roll his eyes.

They entered the tavern, luckily the dining room was empty so no one noticed them.

They waited for Cedric’s polyjuice to wear out then went off to find the owner, who they had been informed had provided some of the food for the runaways in the Room of Requirement, so it wasn’t missing from the school kitchens.

They found him in an office, he looked up and made eye contact with Cedric. He had piercing blue eyes, just like, “Dumbledore?”

“Yes, but I prefer my first name Aberforth, distances me from my brother.” He smiled, “I heard you were coming Mr. Diggory. Though I’m not sure what you are going to do, He has already won all that’s left on his to do list for Britain, is killing you.”

“I know, and I fully intend to let him.” The thought just slipped out of Cedric’s mouth, Draco turned and stared at him in horror.

“What?”

“Well, your brother left us with a task to destroy certain, er, things, that would allow us to defeat Him. Along the way I discovered that I was one of them. I just need to cross off two other items before I die, one of them’s at the school, if you’d show us the way. I would also prefer if you kept this information quiet.”

“Fine. I still say he’s won though. I’ll send you through with this week’s supply of food for the H.A.” Aberforth began to lead him to a painting of a young girl. He motioned to her and she disappeared.

“They still call themselves that?”

“Yes, though I’m not sure what it stands for.”

“I do.” Cedric smiled.

The Portrait swung open and out stepped Neville Longbottom.

“Ced! Glad you made it follow me.” Neville said not noticing Draco.

Cedric climbed into the wall and reached to help Draco, when Neville whispered, “Malfoy? He’s coming too? Isn’t he a Death Eater?”

“No, he was my spy, he’s ok. Otherwise he would have turned me over to the Death Eaters ten minutes ago.”

“Whatever you say.”

They walked along, Cedric pulled out small portions of food for him and Draco to snack on, as they had not eaten since they left for the bank that morning.

The other end ended in a door that opened to a very cozy, if not crowded room of requirement.

The room went up in cheers when Cedric entered. Cedric held out his hand for silence. Once the room was quiet save for a few whispers he began.

“Hello everyone. I’m glad to see you’re doing well, considering what a shit year it’s been. I know you are all surprised to see me here with Draco, I promise he’s on our side, and if he betrays us, I will kill him myself.” Cedric knew that was a lie, he couldn’t stand to kill another person, “As some of you already know,” his eyes roamed the audience looking for his friends, “Dumbledore left me with a task. We need to find an object, we believe to be the lost Diadem of Ravenclaw. Not only that, but I know You-Know-Who will be on his way soon, he’s after the wand that was buried with Dumbledore, and is out to get Snape. I know he must have been awful this year, but if he is killed by someone, especially You-Know-Who or his supporters, we very likely could lose the war. A battle is coming, and we need to be ready. If anyone, anyone, has a clue to the diadem please tell us now.”

“You could try the Grey Lady.” Luna piped up from the middle of the crowd.

“Yeah, try the cryptic ghost.” (/s) scoffed someone from the other side of the room.

“The diadem hasn’t been seen in centuries, and she’s been dead about that long. Not to mention she’s Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter.” Luna said in retaliation, though she still sounded like her normal calm, intelligent, and spacey self.

“That’s actually not a bad idea Luna.” Cho agreed.

“Okay, let’s go.” Ron said.

“Just a minute.” Cedric said. He breathed deeply, letting himself feel the energy in the room. He slowly lowered his thick mental walls, it was best to have a warning of Voldemort was going to show up.

“She’s rather skiddish, only Cedric should go.” Luna was saying to Ron as Cedric refocused onto the real world, a new burn settling into his shoulder where his scar was.

“Lead the way Luna.” Cedric said.

**Cedric had left the Room with Luna. They went to speak with one of the Hogwarts ghosts Harry recognized. She flew away at first, but then eventually gave them what they needed.**

**Then they were caught, by Snape and two of the Death Eater teachers nonetheless. They cast spells to try to stun them. They missed.**

**Apparently the good teachers had heard the commotion, and had shown up. Sprout and Flitwick each stunned and tied one of the Death Eaters, McGonagall dueled Snape for a while, then He flew, actually flew in a black cloud of smoke, out through the window, shattering the glass in the process.**

**He heard McGonagall order the other teachers to wake up the students and gather them in the Great Hall.**

Cedric and Luna rushed back and went to gather everyone from the Room to join the students in the Great Hall.

During the spare few minutes Cedric focused on Voldemort and saw him breaking the outer wards on Hogwarts.

_He was flying, approaching a barrier, a wave of his wand disintegrated it, he continued flying towards the marble tombstone. A spell cracked open the grave and he reached in and retrieved a wand from the dead body inside. Dumbledore had been weak to die, he thought._

Cedric snapped back to the present, with the outer wards that extended deep into the forest and beyond the lake gone, nothing kept the Death Eaters from entering the grounds. At least there were more direct wards on the castle at a closer radius.

Everyone was gathered when a voice that Cedric recognized entered everyone’s heads.

_“Give me Cedric Diggory and no one will get hurt. I know he’s there, claiming to be searching for something that is lost. Something to undermine me, he is a criminal and whomever turns him over shall be rewarded._

_“Give me Cedric Diggory and I will spare you.”_ Voldemort was here.


	16. The Battle Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who sucks at writing action sequences? *does the thing with the thumbs* This gal!
> 
> I have woefully neglected to thank my beta Tay for most of this work, she is wonderful! Go check out her works @/Tay_Quin
> 
> Anyway, I also feel that the next chapter is gonna be super long so be prepared for that.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

The Great Hall was silent, then one of the seventh year Slytherins, a boy with brown hair, called out “What are we waiting for, let’s turn him over!”

“We are not doing that, Mr. Taylor.” McGonagall said crisply, “Professor Moss,” McGonnagall motioned to a teacher that Cedric had not seen before, likely the replacement potions master, “Please take all the students under sixteen and all the Slytherins, and other children of known Death Eaters, to the floo in my office and have them return home. I hate to say I do not trust the older Slytherins, but that is where we are at, and the loyal ones do not deserve to fight their families. If you are sixteen you can choose whether you stay and fight or head home. You will not be judged if you choose to leave.”

The new Professor started to round up the students, heading over to make sure Draco was escorted out. “He stays.” Cedric told him firmly.

“Thanks.” Draco said.

Unsurprisingly, most of the sixth and seventh year stayed, with a few older fifth years here and there.

The doors of the hall opened again. It was the Order this time. The entire rest of the Weasley family had come, including Charlie. Tonks had a face that would likely scare away half the Death Eaters, aside from the bags under her eyes. Remus was wearing something that wasn’t already tattered and torn, probably thanks to him marrying Sirius and becoming rich. Kingsley headed straight to McGonagall and they began discussing strategy. Cho’s parents had come, she dashed over to give the two a hug. Mark’s mum and dad were there too.

Cedric sighed. His mother would be here, just not to assist.

“Where do you think lost things go?”

Cedric nearly jumped Luna was standing behind him, “Huh?”

“You-Know-Who said the diadem was lost. Where in the castle do you think lost items would go?”

“I usually found my missing socks under my bed at the end of term.”

“If you wanted to lose something in Hogwarts, intentionally, where would you put them?”

“I guess a room that I could be sure no one would get into.”

“And which room has that capability?” Luna said, intentionally hiding the answer.

“The Room of Requirement.”

“Let’s get a group and go. I’m sure that there will be a lot of lost items to search through.”

Cedric, Draco, and Luna rounded up their friends from where they were with their families, and together they made for the room of requirement.

Cedric heard the teachers and order members disperse behind him. Flitwick was instructing a group on a spell to strengthen the remaining wards, while McGonagall said the spell “Piertotum Locomotor!”

Cedric heard the suits of armor and statues come to life throughout the castle as the group raced up the stairs.

Cedric ran into the Room of Requirement to ensure it was empty, then exited and paced back and forth in the hallway, thinking I need a room where something can become lost.

A door appeared and he opened it. As soon as he entered the room the thing in him flashed a picture of the diadem in his mind. “We’re looking for a bronze and silver diadem inlaid with sapphires. It has an eagle etched onto the front where a large jewel would usually go. Split up and search.” Cedric directed.

**Harry watched his friends, and Malfoy and Luna, at least thought her name was Luna, dash through the piles of things in the Room of Requirement. A few minutes in Cedric found what they had been looking for, but two others had entered the Room already**.

“Malfoy!” Called a vaguely familiar voice.

Cedric grabbed the diadem from where he had spotted it on top of an old mannequin head, then headed towards the sound of the voice.

“I never wanted to be marked Crabbe!” He heard Draco yell.

“Then why’d you put down mudbloods if you were just gonna become a blood traitor.” A new voice asked him.

“Because I had been brainwashed. And both of you two are too thick to realize that your families have done the same to you!”

“I’ve had enough of this! Let’s just find the damn thing and get out of here.” The voice that Cedric thought was Crabbe’s said, “It’s metal so it shouldn’t burn, malum falmmae!”

A giant flaming snake burst trough a tower just beyond the voices. Cedric snagged a bunch of nearby brooms and hopped on one. He flew the rest of the way towards Draco dodging the flames that grew taller and stretched wider every second.

“Draco!” He called dropping down a broom, then flying out to where his other friends were.

Ron and Luna ended up sharing a broom, as did Cho and Hermione. Mark climbed onto the back of Cedric’s and they flew towards the door. He distantly heard Hermione call through the hot smoky air “Drop the diadem!”

He did it without a second thought.

They crashed through the door to find a distraught Draco, who was busy using a spell to tie ropes around one of his ex-friends.

“You okay?”

“Physically yes, emotionally, we’ll see.” Draco said. Looking up.

“Why’d I have to drop the diadem ‘Mione?”

“It was fiendfire, it was the easiest way to destroy both horcruxes.” She explained after hacking up some smoke.

“I threw the cup in after I realized what it was.” Draco said.

“I understand how Draco knew that, but how did you know that Hermione?” Cedric asked.

“Not the pressing matter right now.” Cho said as Hermione was in the midst of another coughing fit.

“Right.” Then the thing in him twinged, and the dull burn in his shoulder spiked.

_‘Severus.’_

_‘You called my Lord?”_

_‘After many years I have finally found the thing I was searching for. The wand of ultimate power. But it seems that it won’t work for me.’_

_‘But, I saw you use it to take down the internal ring of wards just moments ago, if you don’t mind my asking how is it going to—’_

Cedric yanked himself out of Voldemort’s mind. “He’s gonna kill Snape, I think he’s out in the Shrieking Shack.” Cedric made to go for the grounds.

“Isn’t it haunted?” Draco asked as the group caught up.

“No.” Hermione and Ron replied at the same time.

“I’ve got this one for now, you guys go help the others.” Cedric said, Draco eyed him warily, Cedric looked him straight in the eye, trying to convey that this would not be the time for him to sacrifice himself, “I’ll save him and then meet you on the battlefield.”

If Cedric remembered correctly from Harry’s story he had to push the knot on the violent tree. Just before he could get into range of the thrashing tree, he picked up a stone and threw it at the large knot. The tree calmed and a passage underneath opened up. He easily disillusioned himself and proceeded down the tunnel.

He peered in the entrance, the giant snake was trapped in a bubble of crackling magic. And Snape was terrified at Voldemort’s feet.

_‘Nagini attack!’_ Voldemort said in parseltounge.

The snake slipped out of its bubble and laid three venomous strikes into Snape. _‘Come._ ’ Voldemort hissed as he left the outer door of the shack, Nagini slithering after.

Cedric rushed in “Snape! I’ve come to help.” He whispered.

“There’s no- hope now. I n-need to tell you something.”

“What?”

Snape, apparently too weak to speak, lifted his wand to his temple.

“Take your memories?”

Snape made a tiny nodding motion.

Cedric put his wand to the Professor’s temple and pulled out the stream of memories, depositing them in the now empty water bottle he had used for polyjuice.

By the time he was done Snape was dead. Which meant Voldemort had control of the Elder Wand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also Cho has a mom and a nonbinary parent, that was supposed to make it in there when the two arrived, but then it didn’t end up fitting.


	17. Until the Very End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first scene of this feel out of place, but I've always (haha youll get the joke in about two minutes) wanted to write the scene. 
> 
> Also sad chapter warning, bring tissues!
> 
> XOXO  
> \--Appie

**Harry was sitting in the living room; he had chosen to take a break from watching the battle rage down in the living realm. He knew that Cedric and he would meet in the void soon. There was really only one other horcrux left aside from Ced.**

**The thought rattled his nerves. Would Cedric want him to return to the living realm? If he did, how would it feel going back? What if Cedric decided not to go back and join hm in the afterlife? Slim chances of that happening, but he really didn’t know what went on in Cedric’s head, at least not all the time.**

**There was a knock at the door.**

**Harry went to answer it, figuring it was one of the people from around town coming for a visit. He opened the door and saw that it was Snape.**

**Harry glared, “What are you doing here?”**

**“Ever the imbecile are you Potter?” Snape frowned.**

**“I meant in my house not in the afterlife.”**

**“Oh. I’m here to see your mother.”**

**“Mum! Snape’s here to see you!” Harry called into the house before walking away, leaving the door open, but not inviting his old professor into the house.**

**Lily came downstairs and walked to the door, she looked rather angry, as far as Harry could tell. Harry stayed near the end of the hall to watch the interaction.**

**“Lily,” Snape breathed.**

**“Leave Sev.”**

**“I thought-”**

**“We had been best friends for years Sev. You knew sending him to Petunia was a terrible idea! You refused to teach him as well as the others, made him a target because of your issues with James.” Lily yelled.**

**“But-” Snape pleaded.**

**Then the most shocking thing happened. Lily punched him in the gut and slammed the door.**

**Lily noticed Harry watching in the hall, “Sorry you had to see that Har. You okay? You seem worried.”**

**“It’s not really about Snape. It’s the whole thing with the ritual and I think I’m starting to have doubts.”**

**His mother led him to the couch and sat him down. “Look, as much as I hate the thought of letting you go, I want to tell you that you won’t know unless you go. If Cedric wants you to stay on this side of life, then you can come back home then. If Cedric wants to come along he’s welcome. If he brings you back to life, then I hope that you will take every chance you have to live and not come back for many, many years.”**

**“I guess you’re right.”**

**“You regret one hundred percent of the chances you don’t take.” His mum gave him a hug.**

Cedric returned up to the school. As he made his way to the great hall Voldemort’s voice rang through the halls _“Let us stop this fighting, for I would hate to see anymore pure blood spilled. You have an hour to care for the wounded and mourn the dead. The fighting will resume afterwards if Cedric Diggory has not turned himself over to me.”_

Cedric arrived at the great hall. It was time. He knew that these were his last goodbyes. Before he turned himself over, he would watch Snape’s memories, and leave them in the pensieve for someone to find later.

He glanced around the Great Hall, observing the damages and casualties. Remus was over in the injured section, someone tending to a nasty gash on his leg while someone else seemed to be checking him for a concussion. George was getting treated for a lost ear, and he was bawling. Cedric forced himself to look over at the row of dead. He was almost sick.

Mundungus.

Two sixth year Gryffindors. Dean, from the manor, and he thinks the other was Dean’s boyfriend, Seamus.

Tonks.

Fred.

Cedric swallows hard, and turns and makes a mad dash for the Headmaster’s office. The entrance was destroyed so he was able to go right in.

He pulled out the pensieve from where it was stored and poured the memories into it. He then dove in.

It was mostly unhelpful scenes from Snape’s childhood, though Cedric gathered that he had been friends with someone he though might be Harry’s Mum.

There was a scene that was clearly about the horcrux when it had apparently resided in Harry, it was Snape and Dumbledore discussing the fact that he had to die. That wasn’t new to Cedric though. Another one showed how Dumbeldore planned his death.

Cedric left the pensieve, it was time to face whatever Voldemort had in store for him.

As he exited the office and found his friends sitting outside.

“Is it time?” Draco asked warily.

Cedric could only bring himself to nod.

“Time for what?” Cho asked.

Cedric looked away, tears starting to form in his eyes.

“Ced, time for what?” Cho repeated.

“I’m a horcrux, in order for Him to lose, I have to die.”

Cho and Mark came over and wrapped him in a tight hug. “We can come with you if you want.” She said.

“No, he said I have to be alone. Besides you guys need to get Nagini.”

Cho and Mark detached themselves and Hermione latched on, “Tell Harry we say hi.”

Ron gave him a small hug, then Draco who seemed to be trembling. “Thanks you guys, for everything.” Cedric said.

He then pulled the invisibility cloak out of the inner pocket of his robes and disappeared.

About halfway to the forest Cedric felt something else flutter in his pocket. _The snitch._ He reached in with his right hand and whispered, it is time for me to die.

The golden ball opened with another flutter of its wings. Inside was a small black stone with the Deathly Hallows inscribed on the top. The resurrection stone.

He slowly turned it in his hand.

**Harry and his parents were gathered in the living room. Cedric had just disappeared, heading to apparent death.**

**“Please don’t worry too much about us, we’ll be fine without you for a while.” His mum reassured him, though she was crying.**

**“Tell Moony and Pads I miss ‘em. Send our congrats on the wedding too.” James said, appearing to be holding back tears.**

**“I am so proud of the young man you’ve become. Keep it up sweetie.” His mum gave him one last hug as he felt himself being yanked somewhere else.**

**He landed outside the forbidden forest, not the void, yet, faced with Cedric peeking out from under the invisibility cloak.**

“Harry.” Cedric said with a sob.

“Hey Ced.”

“I guess you know why you’re here.”

Harry nodded.

“I- I just want to know, how did it feel?”

“Honestly, heart wrenching, but physically painless. I wasn’t ready to leave you. I never got to tell you that I love you.”

Cedric was now blushing and crying at the same time, quite the horrible combo, yet somehow he managed to get out, “I love you too, stay with me?”

“Until the very end.” Harry winked and then dissolved, yet Cedric could still feel his presence all around him. He threw the cloak back on and ventured into the woods.

He entered the clearing where Voldemort and his circle of Death Eaters waited. He quickly threw off the cloak and tucked it into his robes, along with the snitch and the stone.

“So you have finally made the right decision. Come to turn yourself over have you?” Voldemort said in that awful voice.

“Yes, so long as you leave and do no more harm to the people fighting here today.”

“Let’s get on with it.” Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

“I quite agree.” Voldemort said drawing his wand, the elder wand, “ _Avada kedavra!”_

Cedric saw the flash of light and felt the energy hit him, numbing him throughout. The last thing he felt before the world disappeared was his body falling to th ground with a thud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story time!
> 
> So for whatever reason I don't cry for books or movies or TV shows, EVER. I don't know why, I just don't cry for things like that. I still get emotional, just no tears. 
> 
> Well, the first time I ever read Deathly Hallows, the scene that almost made me cry was when Harry was walking into the forest to die. That is the closest I have ever come to crying for fandom reasons. (The second being the end of ToAWizards, if you've seen it you know the five seconds I'm talking about). I hope I did it justice.
> 
> XOXO  
> \--Appie


	18. The Void

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go

Cedric’s eyes blinked open slowly, he was in a white room, lying on the floor. He closed his eyes for a moment and processed what had just occurred. 

He was dead. 

He sat up and looked around, sitting on a bench nearby was Harry, though he looked a bit see through. 

“Harry.”

His love motioned for him to come join him on the bench. Harry looked older, probably around age twenty. His green eyes sparkled, and his hair looked to be tame for once. Cedric sat down and let his head rest  on Harry’s shoulder.

“You look good. Healthier.”

“Thanks, six years in a stable, happy home can do that to a person.” Harry paused, “You have that look on your face, what’s confusing you?”

“Where are we?” Cedric asked.

“This,” Harry gestured to the space around them “is The Void. The realm between life and death. You’re here because you now have a choice to make, well really a few choices. The first one being if you want to go back, return to life. I’m here to pick up the part of my soul that had been trapped within you. The horcrux tore it out along with itself when I died. That’s why I don’t look solid.”

“Oh. Wait, I can go back? How?”

Harry nodded, “The night I died, Voldemort took some of your blood, it tethers you to life.”

“I really want to, see the battle through and all, but I don’t want to leave you.”

“You don’t have to. The part of my soul that was in you bonded with your own. You’d have to leave the battle for a while just after we wake up, go to Godric’s Hollow, and use a ritual to tie me to a body again.”

Cedric frowned.

“It’s different than the ritual Voldemort used. Only you can do it love, you’re the Master of Death.”

“But, the Elder Wand—”

“Came into your possession when you inadvertently disarmed Dumbledore the night he died.”

“Really? Okay, tell me about this ritual.”

Harry explained the ritual he had planned in detail. Parts of it felt creepy and morbid, but what about bringing someone back to life wasn’t? Then Harry went over to where a body lay on the floor. Cedric hadn’t noticed it.

Cedric stood up and followed Harry over to it. The body looked to be that of a fourteen year old Harry, with skin even more transparent and ghost like than the other one.

Older Harry placed a hand on younger Harry’s chest and murmured a few words. A glow of golden magic erupted and when older Harry emerged he looked as solid as Cedric was and  appeared stronger in a way.

Harry stretched, “That feels a lot better. Why Voldemort would do that to himself six times, on purpose, is truly a mystery.”

“You ready?” Cedric asked.

“Yeah.” Harry took Cedric’s hand like he had done nearly two years ago and the room around them dissolved.

Cedric felt himself return to his body, he heard Bellatrix try to help Voldemort up . A pparently he had fallen when the curse  destroyed  the horcrux.

“Celeana, go check if the boy is dead.” Voldemort said, still sounding shaken. 

_** Play dead.  ** _ A voice in his head told him.

_Harry?_ He thought.

_** Yes, now the only way he’s not gonna zap you again, and I promise it would actually kill you this time, I’ve done the research, is if you play dead for a while. ** _

_ Okay. _

Cedric willed himself to be as still as possible, even though his wand dug into his rib cage from beneath his robes. 

He felt a hand go to his neck, checking his pulse. Then he felt the familiar gesture of his mother’s fingers running through his hair. “Can you beat Him?” She whispered.

Cedric carefully considered his response before saying the barely audible word, “Yes.”

He felt his mother pull away taking a shaky breath, “He’s dead.” She said in a flat voice.

“Brilliant, let us show the world what has become of their savior,  _ mobilicorpus.”  _ Said Voldemort, Cedric let his body go limp as he floated into the air. 

They moved through the trees and out to the grounds of the castle. 

Cedric could feel the energy of a crowd staring at him. 

“Cedric Diggory is dead! This boy was where you put all your hope, you relied on him to save you and he died trying to abandon you. What do you make of your hero now?” Voldemort called. 

“No!” Cried a voice, it sounded like Cho.

“I notice that there is a traitor who has joined your side. Draco, if you come back to the winning side you shall be rewarded for showing your peers the way to go.”

“Hell no.” Cedric heard Draco let out a small laugh, “Cedric was more family to me than my own father. And he never would have left the battle, he turned himself over so no one else would get hurt.” 

“What about the other purebloods here?” Voldemort paused, “Mr. Foresberg?”

“Not in a million years.” He could practically hear Mark’s eye roll, “I have a thing against bowing down to other people. I also have a thing against controlling people, so no desire to join there. I mean I also hate people that murder my friends. So, yeah I’m not joining.”

“Care to join us Mr. Longbottom? I promise it will be rather rewarding. There’s no need to be frightened if you come join me.”

“Never. You say I’m frightened, but you don’t know me. I’m a Gryffindor. And I’m braver than I look.”

Cedric opened his eyes the tiniest fraction when he heard some commotion. Nagini was slithering out away from Voldemort poised to attack Neville who had stepped away from the crowd.

“Not so brave now are you?” Voldemort asked.

“Yeah, right. You and your snake can go to hell!”

And then in a flash a silver blade encrusted with rubies appeared in Neville’s hand and he swung it. Chopping  of f Nagini’s head, just as she was about to strike.

_**Now**_. Harry told him, and Cedric agreed, it was the perfect time to jump into action.

He wrenched himself free of the spell holding him up off the ground and dashed towards the crowd. 

Cheers rose up out of the crowd and spellfire started back up again. 

Cedric had made it to the castle entrance and found some cover. Then he quickly apparated away. 

He landed in the middle of the Graveyard in Godric’s Hollow. _You ready?_ He thought to Harry.

_** As ready as I’ll ever be. ** _

Cedric waved his wand at the two graves in front of him. Two coffins unearthed themselves and he spelled the older one open. 

He pulled out the resurrection stone from his pocket and turned it three times while saying the incantation “ _Libera animam meam_ ”

He felt a searing pain in his shoulder as Harry’s soul left his body, forming something akin to a ghost in front of him. 

He waved the invisibility cloak at the soul-ghost. Harry had told him that he wouldn’t be aware of anything for this part of the ritual. The cloak guided Harry’s soul to the body in the coffin. 

“ _ Primiceriatus”  _ Cedric spoke. 

He took one deep breath hoping that it would work and said the final incantation _“_ _ Amor est vitae.” _

The next few seconds were impatient agony. 

Then a pair of hazel eyes blinked open, and Harry took in a sharp breath. 

“It worked.” Cedric breathed. 

“We did it.” Harry smiled. He slowly climbed out of the coffin, his father’s wand in hand. He vanished the coffin easily and opened up the other. He retrieved his old wand and left James’ inside. He then buried the coffin by James’ headstone and vanished his old one. All nonverbal magic. Harry had really grown up whilst he was in the afterlife. 

Harry turned to Cedric and came close, Cedric realized that his face was streaked with tears of joy. 

“We should get back.” Cedric whispered. 

“In a minute. I want to kiss you first.”

“Okay.”

The kiss was short and sweet and everything that Cedric had wished for during their time apart. 

“Let’s go stop an evil tyrant.” Harry smiled. And Cedric apparated them back to Hogwarts. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn’t catch what I was trying to do, the bold and italicized parts are Harry thinking at Cedric (His soul went into Cedric’s body when they left the void). The ritual does leave Harry in James’ body. Strange and creepy yes but I have been thinking about this for months and this was the best I could come up with without it feeling like a cop out (like an aging potion might). And since bringing someone back from the dead is serious magic, it makes sense that there is a bit of a price. 
> 
> The Latin spells of the ritual in order translate to (with google translate)  
> Free soul  
> Guidance  
> Love is life
> 
> Special thanks to Tay for helping me work with this chapter when it was struggling.
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie


	19. The Final Duel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the chapter count so this is the last one!!
> 
> I hope you like it!!
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie

They landed on the shore of the black lake. The battle raged on on the lawn nearby. Harry held his wand high and rushed into the fray.

Cedric stared after him, a part of him was still in shock that Harry was here, alive and fighting.

After a minute he realized he should be in there fighting too and he dashed into the battle.

He was immediately locked in a duel with Lucius Malfoy, who was a sloppy duelist to say the least. Well, Cedric supposed he did have the official technique down, but that was for competitive dueling. This was war, there weren’t regulations like there would be in a professional competition. Cedric took full advantage of this fact.

After a while he had Lucius running for the hills after he had been hit with a hex that Cedric had learned from one of the books they had brought with them when they went into hiding.

He glanced over around the battlefield looking for someone he could assist, he noticed Molly Weasley and Neville dueling Bellatrix, they hit her with two spells at the same time and she dissolved to ashes.

Cedric noticed the fighting had slowed off to his right and found Harry and Voldemort locked into a duel. A crowd had gathered around them, mostly people from their side, all the remaining Death Eaters were still locked in a duel on the other side of the battlefield.

“Mr. Potter, returned from the dead, I see. I have to wonder how you managed that after so long.” Voldemort sneered.

“You did didn’t you?” Harry retorted, firing a spell.

“I guess I’ll just have to finish you off again.” A bolt of green narrowly missed Harry.

“Good luck with that Tom. If you haven’t noticed all your Horcruxes are gone.”

“Be that as it may, I can always make more. However, I have the Elder wand.”

“Sure you do.” Harry smiled, “You have noticed your Death Eaters dropping like flies right? That’s the power of love. You see, my boyfriend, hechose to sacrifice himself for the people on the battlefield, so that they may have a chance at beating you.” Harry flung another spell, “That broad sacrifice, gave everyone here to defend the castle a bit of protection. Enough to render some of your nastier spells obsolete against us. You have become your own undoing.”

“Lies!” Voldemort fired off another spell, Harry easily dodged it.

“Also, you have been going after the wrong person these past two years. I know that that prophecy was about me. You should have been looking to prevent me from returning, not killing Cedric. His death allowed me to return.”

“That’s preposterous.”

“Oh yeah? Then why am I here?”

“You won’t be for long! _Avada Kedavra!”_

_“Expelliarmus!”_

Cedric forced himself to keep his eyes open no matter what happened when the spells met. Even if it meant losing Harry again. For good.

A flash of gold energy shot out in all directions when the spells met.

The Elder wand flew out of Voldemort’s hand, Cedric jumped out of the crowd to catch it.

He felt the same surge of magic he had when he had gotten his first wand when he was eleven. So Harry had been right about that.

He looked up just as the green light from the killing curse flew back against Voldemort, and he fell to the ground dead.

They had won.

Cheers shot out of the crowd. Cedric looked over and by and large the Order members and students on the other side of the field had won. A few Death Eaters dissapparated and others were rounded up, presumably to be taken to Azkaban, hopefully the prisoners that the Death Eaters had placed there would be freed.

Cedric ran up to Harry and practically tackled him. Harry wrapped his arms around Cedric and kissed him.

“We did it.” Cedric smiled as Harry pulled away.

“Yeah. We did.”

“Here let me do the last thing, nodum in filo.” Cedric waved the elder wand, the last spell of the ritual had to be done with it, tying Harry’s soul to James’ body, well he supposed it was Harry’s now.

“Thanks.” Harry smiled, taking Cedric’s hand.

Out of the corner of his eye Cedric saw a flash of dark hair and moved out of the way as Hermione charged towards his boyfriend.

“Harry!” She called nearly knocking him over, “I missed you.”

“I missed you to ‘Mione.”

Ron was hot on Hermione’s heels, wrapping his friend in a hug. Cedric stepped away and let the trio have their moment.

Cho came over and gave Cedric a hug, “Never scare us like that again. Stay dead the next time you die okay? Otherwise I might just kill you myself.”

“Okay.” Cedric let out a small laugh.

“So you brought scarhead back?” Draco asked from behind Cedric.

“Yes, and you two are gonna try to get along.”

“Yes Dad.” Draco rolled his eyes, but smiled.

“Let’s go inside. We’re having a bit of a party in the entrance hall, Aberforth brought food.” Mark said coming up to the group.

Cedric went over and took Harry’s hand once more and they headed into what was left of the castle entrance hall.

Mark had been right about the party, there were people celebrating and drinking and dancing just inside the doors.

They walked in and Charlie Weasley dragged Mark off to dance. Cho and Hermione disappeared into the celebration as well. Cedric noticed Remus and Sirius sitting together on a part of the castle wall that had fallen to the ground.

Just then Sirius looked up and saw Cedric and Harry together.

He dashed over, inadvertently ditching his husband, who likely couldn’t walk on his injured leg.

“P-prongs?” Sirius asked.

“Not exactly.” Harry said, placing his arm firmly around Cedric, Harry’s voice still very much his own.

“Harry?”

Cedric looked at his boyfriend who simply nodded, tears in his eyes, as he was wrapped into a hug by his godfather.

“You’ve grown up.” Sirius smiled.

“Yeah, I suppose I have.”

“Your eyes. Didn’t they used to be green?” Sirius asked.

“About that, I had to use Dad’s body when I came back.”

“Oh. Do you know if you can...” Sirius stepped back and turned into a dog.

Some look of understanding dawned on Harry and he seemed to concentrate for a minute, then he had turned into a stag. It took a moment, but Harry figured out how to change back and returned to his human form.

“That’s new.” Harry said.

Sirius changed back a moment later. “That it is. Wait, where’s Remus?”

“Over where you left him.” Cedric said.

“I gotta go, talk to him, he probably wants to head home. Pop over tomorrow so we can talk okay?” Sirius said, already walking away.

“We should head home soon too.” Cedric told Harry.

“One more stop, then yes.” Harry headed over to where the Weasleys and Mark and Fleur and Luna were gathered.

“Hey! Come to say hi to us at last?” Ginny called.

“Yeah.”

“Harry, dear, I’m glad you’re back.” Molly said enveloping him in a hug.

“My Mum wants me to thank you for her.” Harry whispered.

“That’s no problem dear. You were always a pleasure to have.”

Harry backed away, eyes looking teary once more. “Right, well Ced and I are gonna head home. I guess I’ll see you all soon.”

The two waved goodbye and went to find Draco, who was leaning on the wall by the doors

“Come on Malfoy, it’s time to head home.” Harry said.

Malfoy looked a little miffed but took Cedric’s other arm as he apparated them home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But wait, there’s more!
> 
> There will be an epilogue that will go up soon. It is multi chapter so I decided to make it it’s own part. Don’t worry I’m not gonna drag it on too long. That’s why I have my lovely beta Tay, her job is to yell at me when I’m going too far.
> 
> I honestly never thought I’d make it to this point, especially back in April when I just started out. Thank you for coming on this journey with me. And keep you’re eyes peeled for the next part!!!
> 
> XOXO  
> —Appie
> 
> P.S. Please leave comments to feed my soul. (Also I’m going on a writing strike cause of low amounts of comments,(its a thing my Tumblr people are doing, so like a sheep I’m following along) so expect the epilogue to go up soon after October 15, cause that’s when my strike ends)


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